Betsy Braddock in Bayville
by Frayed90
Summary: I love alliteration...heavilyrevised character of Betsy Braddock Psylocke based on comic and 1990s' cartoon too...deals with Betsy as a young mutant playing a hard game between the Acolytes, Brotherhood, XMen and her own motives.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: Area 51 and a rumour of mutants**

--Okay, just an intro into what's gonna happen. This is my first ever fan fic. It's going to be action, romance (so far couplings at Betsy/Pyro, Rogue/Remy, Kitty/Peotre and a couple of more subtle ones), angst and maybe the slightest hints of slash. Alright, I've read a lot of fan fic around and I kinda wanna blend it into almost a Chronicle. Fans of Psylocke, forgive me or send me hate mail for absolutely butchering her character. It's roughly based on the 1990's Cartoon series Psylocke, but I've slipped in a few different extra powers and kinda redid her history completely. Oh and I don't like strong British accents so, ha! She's not British anymore! I haven't actually seen her X-Men Evo, but, then again, I moved places and I don't have Austar or cable and never watched all the series. At the beginning of each chapter, I'll probably make a note about how horrible I am for butchering the history and all, so here's the first:

Okay, instead of the mansion being destroyed completely, I've just had a few people captured. Let's say they went looking for a new mutant talent, but Hydra had also heard 'bout it and made their move. Everyone bailed, but Rogue, Spyke, Blob, Mystique and Wolverine weren't fast enough…and cos I never saw Jubille in X-Men Evo, let's just say it was her everyone was after and she went with the X-Men. I'll base her off what I've read and the 1990s series. Ummm…I've made X23 recaptured after her first episode. Magneto has his Acolytes and that already. The mutants are all known at Bayville High, but I never liked Principal Kelly, so I've put Mystique back in charge there.--

The mutant Elizabeth Braddock – codename Psylocke- was a shadow within a shadow. Her black hair had been pinned to the back of her head and she was dressed in a black ninja costume. Sexy ninja outfit, actually- she may have been raised as a weapon, spy and assassin, but she was, after all, a seventeen-year-old girl, also called Betsy by the very few who knew her well.

She pondered what she was doing there. It had been three months since she and X23 had escaped and parted. Yet, while Psylocke had lain low, X23 had made her way to- what could he be called- father, creator? She had dodged S.H.I.E.L.D but had been reclaimed by Hydra. Psylocke was back on a rescue mission to the place that haunted her nightmares.

Area 51. Mutant experimentation facility- her old home. She waited for the guard to change.

(-3-)

"All clear on the west side," a monotone voice said into the small radio he held. The owner of that voice was a mutant hater- he had signed on to help quash the mutant threat, not guard storage sheds. He sighed heavily and headed for the brightly lit barracks.

There was the slightest of thumps behind him and he paused, scanning the area with the torch that looked surprisingly like a club.

Psylocke smiled to her self.

"Go time," she said quietly.

She would try to remain concealed for as long as possible. She rapidly climbed the wire fence. Her sinuous form slipped barely between the tall wired fence's top and the crackling electric wires above her. She dropped with a sharp intake of breath. She landed on her feet then did a foot spring forward to land in a crouching position to take the shock of the three metre of the drop.

She lifted her head as the torch light passed then whipped back to focus on her.

"Freeze, freak!" came the guard's voice and there was a click of a loaded pistol; Psylocke lifted her head to focus on him with emotionless blue eyes.

"That hurts my feelings you know. Especially coming from a dirty human like you."

Psylocke rolled to the side, throwing two rocks at the guard. As the guard flinch backwards, Psylocke kicked his pistol hand up then elbowed him in the side hard. The guard gasped then wheezed for air and Psylocke slammed into the ground, twisting one of his arms to into his back and pinning the back of his neck and arm down with her knees.

"Good boy," she said to him.

Reaching a gloved hand (fingerless gloves) to touch the vulnerable spot on the back of his neck, the man relaxed. Still gripping the guard by the back of the neck, she took control of his mind and body.

The man, as if unaware he had been beaten by a girl less than half his weight and was now being held by the scruff by said ninja, spoke into his radio again.

"Mike- I'll take the next shift on the West Side too."

There was a crackle of static then a chuckle.

"Thanks mate. Something's up in the centre- caught 'emselves a bunch o'mutants."

There was static then silence. Psylocke released the man who shook his head, wondering why he'd just done that. Suddenly remembering Psylocke he flipped around, before a glowing purple blade impaled him. Well, he thought he'd been impaled and everything turned black as he hit the ground again.

(-3-)

Psylocke's hand glowed as the psionic blade dispersed itself. She was a mutant of many powers, albeit others were not as developed as others. She was an empath, which meant she could dip into other minds and find feelings and sometimes even snatch thoughts and memories. She could, as she had just demonstrated, control others when making skin contact. As a result of genetic experimentation, she had a superb sense of balance and the cartilage and ligaments in her joints were strong and elastic. She had enhanced hearing and sight. Although she was very slight, she was strong. Psylocke thought they had messed with feline genes. However, there was one power she had honed to a point…or a blade, one could say.

She possessed telekinesis. Not the kind where 'Wow! I can levitate a chair!' She could form weapons using the power of her mind. She could create blades capable of cutting through steal as easily as air. She could send discs spinning accurately enough to bisect a falling pine needle. She could, but she chose not to. She hated spilling blood, especially since she was so adept at doing so.

The combination of empathy and telekinesis meant she could form a different blade. This blade could interrupt a living organism's neurons. Basically, depending on how much power she put into it, she could paralyse, knock out or even put an enemy into a comatose state. Using her empathy and a direct path into a victim's mind, she could even destroy memories or shape new ones.

But, enough about that- back to Psylocke and her reaction to the news.

(-3-)

"Other mutants…?" she echoed to herself, then shook her head. She had to find X23, not bust out mutants, who were too stupid to hide their powers.

"Not my problem."

She formed a sharper blade and sliced neatly through a wall, as red lights flashed.

"West Wall perimeter has been breached. Be on full alert," a calm, female voice echoed over the loudspeaker.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Where is she?**

Logan couldn't stop blaming himself. He let Hydra capture him. He had let Hydra capture Rogue and Evan. He even felt like shit for letting Mystique and the Blob get caught. He hunched on the sterile steel bench, hands immobilized by heavy mechanisms that held his fists against one another. If not, Logan could have probably clawed his way out of there- that is, until all the little soldier men began firing with their little machine guns. He growled to himself, slamming himself against the glass wall again.

"West Wall perimeter has been breached. Be on full alert."

Logan looked up, as did the other mutants (or those who were conscious; Mystique had been tranquilized during her own escape attempt). Were they being rescued?

(-3-)

Psylocke began to run. As she dashed through the corridors, making for the place where they had once held her, she fired purple discs, knocking out soldiers as they ran around- more excited than fearful, but that would change.

She turned a corner and was confronted by a dozen soldiers, who turned rapidly. The front row knelt and trained their weapons on her, while the rest stood aiming at her from above.

"Hands up, mutie!"

Smiling sweetly she raised two hands. The soldiers seemed almost relieved that it had been that easy. Then Betsy's hands started to glow.

"Fire!" came an alarmed voice. The leader didn't know what was happening, but he doubted that it was a gesture of good faith.

Bringing her hands down rapidly, purple spikes of psionic energy slammed into them. Eight of them crumpled unconscious. Betsy was quick. Twin discs flew from her hands, slicing through her gloves. Moving her hands subtly, the discs sliced through the weapons of the remaining four.

They froze. The discs had sliced through the weapons like a hot knife in butter ('scuse the cliché please loves!). Psylocke raised another hand and a long, purple blade grew slowly. She could have flashed it out in less than a second, but she liked a bit of dramatic effect.

"Now, boys. Tell me where the mutant's being held and I won't slice and dice your napping friends."

Three bailed, while the leader babbled something about the centre before following his men.

The X-Men had stood up and moved towards the reinforced glass. Three men came running into the science facility, babbling about a 'killer mutant' coming. All the scientists started to panic and everyone yelled as someone came running in. It was the squadron's leader, who didn't help matters by screaming for everyone to run.

Enter Psylocke.

Betsy brandished twin, katana-like blades and, for a moment, purple light glowed through the doorway. The thick, metal door to the room sealed itself. Rogue was surprised. She hadn't seen the familiar optic blast of fearless Scott and Kurt had certainly not bamfed in to rescue them. Just the purple light.

Twin blades sliced through the metal door and the thick metal fell. A figure stepped in- the blades glowing and seemingly growing from his hands themselves. He looked around in confusion. He saw the mutants, his gaze lingering on Mystique then he caught site of a tall blonde scientist.

(-3-)

Running forward, he pinned the terrified woman to the wall. He ripped off the violet bandanna that concealed his face, revealing the face of a girl, not a man.

"Psylocke!"

The girl's face was a picture of anger and she spat at the blonde angrily.

"Yeah- I'm back and I'm not happy. Where is she? Where's X23?"

(-3-)

Logan blanched. X23? His X23? The X23 who had been born of his own genetic material? The other mutants recognized the name too and glanced at Logan, a.k.a Wolverine.

Logan yelled, surprising them. Logan was the last person in the world to ask for help.

"Hey kid! Get us outta here.!"

(-3-)

Psylocke grabbed the face of the scientist who had been in charge of genetic experimentation on mutants. Images were flashing through Dr Loretta Bane's (made-up name…I forgot the name of whatsername's sister). Psylocke caught a glimpse of X23 in a cell – Cell W1- head hunched over her knees as she looked hatefully at the guard outside.

This angered Psylocke. No-one did that to a friend of hers. No-one did that to her little sister. She could have put the doctor into a lifelong coma. She could have sliced her up so she was unrecognizable. She settled with slamming her right fist into the older woman's jaw, who moaned and sank to the floor.

She turned her attention to the mutants.

(-3-)

Facing Logan through the glass, she spoke.

"I'm going to let you go. Head out to the West Perimeter-" she pointed through the wrecked door, from whence she had appeared "- and make your way out."

She sliced Logan's door. She headed to the prone Mystique, who was stirring slightly. Bringing that door down, she nudged the assassin with her foot.

"Hey, Mysty, rise and shine."

Evan did what he'd been longing to do since they first shoved him in. He could have escaped the cage, but to what point and purpose? He couldn't get the others out. Flexing his arm, he shot a circle of spikes into the glass. He shoved it and the glass fell out. He crawled through and did the same for Rogue.

"Thahnks Evan," she drawled.

Evan helped Logan out of the mechanic shackles and the X-Men turned to Mystique's cell. The girl in the black costume had slung the unsteady woman's arm over her neck and passed her unceremoniously into Logan.

"Get her out too. And your big friend."

Logan broke out of his silence and, 'snickt', popped his claws out, slashing the giant tub that Blob was in.

The girl's eyes widened and she gasped. As Logan turned around, she gave a sharp intake of breath. Logan and X23 had the same eyes- dark and seeming to always reveal unfathomable pain- oh, and a little crazy too.

She took a breath. "You must be Logan."

--I've created a history for the two of them. Betsy was taken in when she was eight or so and her mutation had been revealed. Her parents are anti-mutant and in government. At that time, X23 was only eight. They became as close as sisters, in the absence of any family. They were paired together to form the perfect government tool- a spy and a fighter. The perfect pair of assassins. Oh, and for later, they'd worked with and also fought Mystique when they were working for Hydra.--


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Fight together.**

--Because she has power's of control over others, she is able to control others powers. She can't, for example, use Mystique's powers to change herself, but she can force Mystique into a certain shape. I'm thinking of something where she can in partnership with Rogue, when Rogue isn't so hateful.--

She took a breath. "You must be Logan."

She offered her hand and Logan looked at it then at her, assessing her.

"Are you S.H.I.E.L.D?" he growled, not putting away his claws.

"No," she said. "My name is Psylocke- and I'm here to save X."

She held her hand out in front of her, as if checking her perfectly manicured nails for damage. She jerked it forward, a pair of blades sliding from the back of her hand. They were perfect imitations of X23's blades (disregarding they were purple and glowing).

"I'm a friend of mutants."

Logan shook her hand, as they each withdrew their claws.

(-3-)

Mystique had reawakened properly. Blob and Evan stared at Psylocke, mouths slightly open. Rogue was scowling. She, of all the young X-Men, was closest to Logan and treated as an equal by him. It was only natural for her to feel a spark of envy at the girl- Psylocke- claiming equal footing with him. And slightly pissed off at Logan for accepting her.

"Logan, we gotta' get outta he-ah," she said, grabbing his wrist (So shoot me? It's my first go at a Roguey accent…hey! It's my first go at fan fic!).

Logan was still fixated by Psylocke. His mind was moving fast. Psylocke knew X23. Psylocke had been here before; X23 had been here before. Psylocke and X23 had been here and they had been weapons for Hydra. And Psylocke had come here to rescue her. He liked the girl already.

"Mystique, get the kids outta here," Logan said. "If she's here, she's not being left behind again."

Psylocke nodded. She had expected he would come and she could use the extra back up. X23 would've been her back up. She cocked her head at Mystique then suddenly broke into a mocking grin.

"Well Mystique, fancy seeing you here. All tranqued up and in a cell. Brings back memories doesn't it?"

"It certainly does, Betsy," Mystique replied, not batting an eyelid. They had met before and had a healthy respect for one another. In fact, in a fight, they were almost evenly matched.

But they had other things to think about.

"Logan! Ah'm not goin' with Mystique!" Rogue protested.

"C'mon man! She's the enemy!" Evan piped up.

Psylocke and Logan had already turned, as if they knew that their mission was more important and had worked like this before.

"Let's move out," scowled Mystique. "They can look after themselves."

Mystique turned and made for the door, Blob following her. The two remaining X-Men watched where Logan had gone then followed.

(-3-)

Logan and Psylocke walked in silence. Logan let her lead. Each suddenly cocked his or her head.

"Soldiers," Psylocke stated plainly.

"Coming around the next corner," Logan confirmed.

Each mutant smiled to itself. They were each remembering doing the same thing with a partner.

"No killing," Betsy suddenly said, much to Logan's surprise. He grunted in response- which may or may not have been agreement.

They turned a corner and charged into the corridor.

The soldiers had no warning. After all, they were only human. Logan came first, plowing into them and grabbing two of the soldiers to slam them against the side of the wall. He flinched as a glowing disc went past his face to slice the machine gun of a more prepared soldier. She summoned X23's twin claws and, with a yell, dove into the fighting.

She paralyzed one man's legs then sliding past him, kicked him in the knee caps with a painful-sounding crunch. At his bloodcurdling yell, Logan turned and punched him in the face and the yell was cut short. The man who had been disarmed BY Psylocke ran at Logan with a hunting dagger – 'Obviously a fanatic,' Betsy observed to herself. Logan yelled as the knife sliced into his bicep- it would heal but not quickly. The man was picked up and Logan roared as he threw him into another man. Putting more power into the blade, Psylocke sliced across a man's leg, incapacitating him.

In short, the men ended up unconscious or sobbing, trying to drag themselves away from their silent team mates.

"Here," said Psylocke, taking Wolverine's injured arm.

"No," he replied, "It'll heal."

"Not fast enough."

Gingerly touching his arm again, Psylocke directed his healing power to focus on that spot, which began to knit itself up.

(-3-)

They were silent during the rest of the walk.

They came to a dark cell, where a figure sat in a corner. Psylocke gave a sharp intake of breath and Logan growled.

"…X?"

X23 raised her head at the sound of Betsy's voice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Reunions and Partings.**

"Betsy!" X23 cried out. She had fallen into despair once she had been caught. The words from her meeting with Logan had been going around in her head and the evils of Hydra had haunted her. She had escaped only to be recaptured.

The cell was promptly opened. X23 was pale and her eyes showed that she had been crying. White tracks of salt had left their mark on X23's face and Betsy wiped them away with her hands. There was a moment of hesitation then the girls were embracing. Logan would've liked to disappear, but he didn't know what would happen now.

Betsy, whispering reassuringly into X23's ear, pushed back and let her see Logan. There was silence and Logan looked awkward and almost fell over when X23 lunged forward to wrap her arms around his well-muscled torso.

Slowly, Logan returned the young girl's embrace. He lent his head down.

"I'm sorry, kid. I should'a been there to stop 'em."

Sniffling, the young girl released him and stepped back, head still bowed.

"I'm sorry…you offered me a place and I ran away."

The three ex-weapons (and two Weapon X's) suddenly lifted their heads. Their enhanced hearing picked up running foot steps that had gone undetected in the sniff emotional moment that they'd just experienced.

Snickt! The sound of ten adamantium claws being revealed echoed. Betsy's own psionic sword had grown silently. The three were ready for anything. They weren't ready for the X-Men to turn the corner and stand shocked.

(-3-)

It would be a surprise to find your teacher soaked in other men's blood, claws out and leaning defensively over the fifteen-year-old girl who had once single-handedly taken the whole team out of commission. The young ninja girl would've seemed pretty normal there, but for the deadly glowing blades, which seemingly sprouted out of her very hands.

The X-Men had come to the rescue. Cyclops, Jean, Shadowcat, Kurt, Kitty and Beast had followed the trail of unconscious men, sliced weapons and still smoking doors, fearing the worst.

Cyclops had nearly blasted Mystique, as she rounded a corner, but Jean had deflected it as Rogue and Evan came round too.

"Logan's still in there, Cyc!" Rogue said, "We gotta get him outta there!"

"Jean?" Scott Summers- Cyclops, team leader- asked, turning to face her.

Jean Grey – telepath and telekinetic- closed her eyes in concentration. "I've got him." Jean took the lead and the team had followed. Blob, not wanting to be left alone with Mystique had gone with them.

(-3-)

Mystique could escape all the more easily now. But, instead, she morphed into a guard and made her way to a computer console that'd left on. She typed in a series of numbers and, doing some computer-ish stuff (I ain't good with computer terms), a screen with a tall figure garbed in deep red appeared.

"Mystique," Magneto acknowledged.

"Magneto, I've escaped and the X-Men are here. I'll leave Blob with them."

"Good, I'll send an orb for you," said Magneto emotionlessly, moving as if to do the computer equivalent of hanging up on you on the telephone without saying any goodbyes.

"Send two orbs, Magnus. There is an unaffiliated mutant here, who has no great love of humans. She is very powerful and would make a useful addition to your Acolytes."

"How thoughtful of you Mystique, not to take her for yourself."

"I've encountered her before. She won't stand for my leadership and is as likely to try and overthrow me as obey me."

There was silence and the screen went dark. Mystique went to get Psylocke.

(-3-)

Meanwhile, Logan, X23 and Psylocke had drawn in the claws and blades. X23 looked away. Logan looked over them quickly, nodding at Hank (Dr Mckoy, Beast).

"Let's go."

Psylocke was still wary. She'd heard of the X-Men before. She assessed them. Tall, dark haired guy, who stood way to straight. Handsome leader. Tall, slim redhead, who looked at her in surprise. The two from the lab. Young, brunette girl with her hair in a high ponytail. Fuzzy blue boy with a tail that seemed to twitch on its own and a hulking man, also in blue fur. Nonetheless, all she picked up from their minds was curiosity and good intentions. She touched X23's bare hand, as if to comfort her.

-X, I want you to go with Logan. He'll look after you.-

X23 looked at her in surprise.

-No! You came for me! I'm going with you!-

-You're too young. You still have a chance. I'll make sure you have money and everything and I'll visit you. We're still sisters, we're still partners. If that means anything to you, you'll obey me now.-

X23 ripped her hand away from Psylocke's grasp.

"Alright," she said with a scowl and everyone was aware that something had gone on.

"Seeya Logan," Psylocke said, putting her hand on his arm.

-Look after her…I'll be back-

Psylocke began to retreat, having not exchanged a word with the rest of the X-Men.

As she passed X23, she whispered to her so that only those with enhanced hearing could listen, "You're name is Sarah Logan."

She headed through the other side of the compound, slicing through any walls in her way. Luckily, all the soldiers had gathered towards the lab or retreated. But Sarah would be okay…she always was.

--Psylocke, in the comic and original cartoon, was immune to telepathic attacks. This immunity was extended to psychic blasts, mind-reading and even being contacted by other telepaths- except I've made it that they can make contact if they actually have skin-to-skin contact. Let's just assume that Jean tried to read her mind and couldn't get in…I never liked her.--


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: The Master of Magnetism's offer.**

--I don't like snow. I don't like desert. I like beaches so that's where Magneto's current base is. Enjoy! (Oh…and I might move elsewhere in the story, if that's the way things go.)--

Psylocke tried to forget the hurt and betrayal that Sarah had felt when she left. Breaking loose of the compound she turned and was surprised to find Mystique had trailed her.

"Sneaky as ever, hey Mystique."

"Sneaky as ever, young Elizabeth," Mystique parried as the girl winced at the use of her real name.

"What do you want, Mystique? Shouldn't you be begging a ride with the X-Men or pretending you're a hooker so that some old human man will give you a lift?" Betsy replied bitterly.

In truth, Betsy wasn't sure what to do now. She had planned to fight her way out with X23 (now Sarah) and then travel to some big town and figure out the future then. However, Mystique seemed to be hinting at something or she'd have been long gone already. Mystique waited for her to speak again.

"Well…?" she prompted Mystique.

Mystique gave an uncharacteristic chuckle at the girl's tardiness.

"I'm offering you a job-" she silenced Betsy with a movement "-_not_ under me, but with my employer in a mutant 'freedom' group…"

"_Mutant freedom_…? Mutant terrorism organization?"

"Of sorts, " Mystique replied smoothly. "Well-paid, board and meals…under Eric Lencherr…"

"Eric Lencherr…Magneto? You work for him now?" Betsy said in disbelief.

"Yes. Magneto is gathering forces for the war. There will be a war. It will be humans versus mutants. There will be no gray area. There will be no peace, as dear Xavier would have mutants believe. Will you at least meet him."

"Give me a place and time and I'll be there Mysty. I won't miss out on this war."

"I believe our ride's here now." Mystique ignored Betsy's jib and looked up.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Betsy exclaimed as two metal orbs, shining ethereally floated from the sky.

Mystique and Betsy stood up lithely with a grace that only years of training could create.

"One way trip to Magneto's base," Mystique said under her breath.

(-3-)

Betsy was thinking hard. She, unlike Mystique, found it hard to believe that there were only going to be two sides of the conflict. She couldn't deny that there would be conflict and she had a master plan.

While working with S.H.I.E.L.D, Betsy had studied both Charles Xavier and Eric Lencherr extensively. Had Xavier offered her a position, she'd have accepted immediately. Then again, she had done the same with Magneto. Magneto was a guy with ambition and power- and he would only gain strength from this point. She was sure, having read his background and of his experiences in Germany, that this war was not one that could be stopped and Magneto, if victorious, would destroy not only humanity, but even the world as it was known.

And ambitious, teen assassin, Elizabeth Braddock was going to stop him. She would gain power and loyalties for herself, but she also saw the black and white- but inverse of Magneto. Betsy was going to save humanity.

Sure.

(-3-)

She sensed, rather than felt, the metal orb dropping rapidly. The metal orb was strange. It seemed airtight but it was cool and comfortable. She prepared to stand up as she heard a dull thump as the orb settled onto the…ground, snow…sand!

The orb unsealed itself and the cool air dispersed turned into fog which immediately dissipated. For a moment, Betsy thought that they had landed in the desert, but the tropical palms and gentle wavelets lapping on the shore told otherwise.

'One point to Magneto,' she thought to herself.

She was a sucker for tropical getaways.

"Welcome to my base," a deep voice coming from a patch of darkness.

Magneto, Master of Magnetism, stepped- no, floated, forward, cape billowing and face barely visible, concealed by an intimidating, rather stupid-looking helmet. If not the helmet, Betsy may have felt a lot more intimidated.

To mask her shock, Betsy bobbed a parody of a curtsy. I mean- you try curtsying in a ninja suit after spending four to six hours in a metal ball thousands of feet above the ground…(I mean it…go out and try it right now!)

Betsy stepped forward, as if reporting to a superior.

"Elizabeth Braddock. Codename: Psylocke," she paused for a moment, "but I suppose you can call me Betsy."

Magneto cocked his head appraisingly.

"Very well…Betsy. Follow me and I shall give you my proposition."

He turned and started to float away when Betsy piped up again.

"Where's Mystique?"

Without pausing, Magneto answered, "That is not for you to know, unless you join me."

Betsy grimaced at his educated and condescending tone, but followed him up the sand dunes anyway.

The base was a metallic dome; however, due to some kind of fiddly image inducer, one flying overhead would assume it was just a chunk of sandstone, deposited there long ago by some wayward volcano. Raising a hand, one section of the dome parted to form a doorway of sorts.

The halls were all metal too, but the few rooms she passed were richly furnished and appeared to have everything but what you'd expect in a mutant terrorist organization. Magneto led the young girl into another room, which appeared like an office- albeit that it looked almost like a waiting room at a dentist, complete with madman in disguise.

"Take a seat."

She did.

"As Mystique may or may not have told you, my name is Eric Lencherr. However, if you are to remain here, you are to refer to me as Magneto at all times. In turn, I shall refer to you as Psylocke. It is a sign that we have discarded that which humanity has placed upon us and declared ourselves separate from them."

Betsy nodded…'Obviously a nutter…' she took note in her head.

"My goal is to create a new world, a world in which we, the mutants, take our place in the evolutionary ladder. We are more advanced, both physically and mentally, than those humans, who would condemn us. It is simply the next step. However, it has been proved time and time again that humans will condemn difference, in order to disguise their own inadequacies. So I have begun to gather an army to serve in this fight for mutant freedom."

The last few sentences were said as if he had been somehow illuminated and was entranced by the vision that he had created. All in all, it was a very appealing spiel…

"This force is called the Acolytes. You will be the fourth member and, when the war comes and mutants flock to us for protection, you will be accorded the respect that one, who saw ahead, would deserve."

Magneto's grey blue eyes focused on the wide-eyed girl.

"Will you pledge your loyalty to me and become an Acolyte?"

Somehow, despite Betsy's fine fancies of being a world-saver, she blanched. She had always had trouble with promises- whether they be disguised as pledge, loyalty or even mutual agreements. She hesitated for a moment. This would be a hard game to play.

"I will become an Acolyte and I pledge my loyalty to you. I will do my best to serve you and this cause in defense of mutantkind."

Obviously the right thing to say.

"Good. I will have a room prepared for you."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Bring in the Boys.**

--Okay, in this chapter I start to lighten up, despite all the serious crap I've typed…well, I hope its good serious crap…but, oh well. Introducing….drum roll…PYRO, GAMBIT aaaaaannnnnd COLOSSUS! (a.k.a: da' Acolyte Boys!)--

Magneto hadn't been expecting her. She had spent the night sleeping on the couch with a blanket and a cushion. Betsy made sure that Magneto heard her mumbled comment of getting the union on to him.

But right now, she was fast asleep, enjoying the warmth and softness of the couch, head tucked neatly under the blanket, when…a sing-song voice rang out.

"Do you know what time it is kids? Aye, Aye captain (the voice went oddly high)!"

Betsy was on the couch. Then there were two.

"Arrrgh!" yelped Betsy. Someone heavy, a man, had jumped on top of her. If not for the fact he was singing the Spongebob Squarepants theme song, she'd have sliced him in two.

"ARRRGH!" the man screamed as Betsy reared up under the blankets and fell off the couch with a thump.

Suddenly everything was kinda of confusing…she was being hit over the head with a cushion and suddenly she was pinned to the floor. She had never even seen her attacker.

"I CAUGHT ONE! I CAUGHT ONE!"

Footsteps echoed. They seemed incredibly loud (they would if you had your head pressed against the floor). What an embarrassment! Caught by a single person and her a self-proclaimed deadly assassin/spy.

"What happenin' _home_?" a thickly-accented Cajun voice said (Again…shoot me for the accent, but I butchered everything else in the series, so I won't even attempt to do Peotre's accent).

"I CAUGHT ONE! I FINALLY CAUGHT ONE! A BURGLAR, MATE!" the lump on top of her screamed.

This comment infuriated Betsy. She spoke in a muffled voice, dripping with sarcasm.

"Yeah...I came out to this deserted island to steal all your stuff."

She kicked sharply upwards and was rewarded with a loud, plaintive 'Ouch!' in return. The weight was off her and she let two long psionic daggers slash the blanket apart.

Shocked silence, then…

"Ha! It was a ninja!" came the crazed one who had originally chosen to sit on her.

(-3-)

He was a tall guy, in his late teens or early twenties. He was wearing a black shirt with a flame-print running around its bottom hem. He also had matching black boxers on. However, it was the hair that drew attention. It was a violent shade of red, bordering on fluoro orange. It was spiked up messily: bed hair.

She stood up, still brandishing her knives- which suddenly spiked outwards into long blades- and advanced on him. He gave an exaggerated scream and jumped behind the couch, knocking it down of course.

Satisfied, feeling actual fear radiating off him, she allowed her twin blades to recede then turned her attention to the two men who had come to the rescue of the crazy boy.

She flicked her shining black hair out of the way and smiled at the two men, then walked over and offered her hand as if for a handshake.

"I'm Psylocke and I was recruited for the Acolytes by Magneto last night."

(-3-)

To her shock, the slighter figure seized her hand as if never to let it go. He brushed his lips against the back of her bare hand. This handsome man was bursting with the confidence that she would blush and swoon! A different kind of blush coloured her face and the man smirked, brushing a lock of auburn hair to reveal devilish, red eyes. If not for the sudden insight into his mind, she may well have swooned for him. Instead, he watched him with a kind of morbid fascination…like you watch a mosquito on a stranger's arm…perverted but very entertaining.

"Ahh, _petite_. Had Remy known that my crazy _home_ would get to you first, Remy'd gotten up for cartoons too."

He was still cradling her hand in his, waiting for her to giggle so he could spout his next line.

-Ah Remy, da ladies love ya…except Rogue…damn dat gal's a _belle femme.-_

Betsy caught the thought as it flickered through his mind and, appropriately, giggled. Remy was about to spout another line, when she lent forward and whispered intimately into his ear.

"Who's Rogue, Remy LeBeau?"

His mouth dropped comically.

"I am Peotre," the tall mutant spoke. His voice was deep and thickly-accented too, but Russian (so thickly-accented that I cannot type it!). Betsy accepted his hand, which easily enveloped her own.

"Well, if we don't have to do codenames here as well, call me Betsy."

Peotre pointed at himself then Remy.

"Colossus and Gambit," he said, then gestured towards the upturned couch, "Pyro."

She turned to the couch and walked over to it. Pyro had found the blanket and now, in embellished fear, put it over his head. He was crazy…literally- and Betsy liked it.

"Pyro…?" she murmured questioningly. "You can come out now…I promise not to slice and dice you…?"

"Good 'nuff for me, Sheila!" he said happily then stood up suddenly to give her a hug, which she didn't return.

"Welcome to da Acolytes, _chere_."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: We're going where?**

_Dear Sarah (X),_

_I've gotta job and I'll visit you as soon as possible. I hope they're treating you alright- if not I'll come over and kick their asses!_

_Seeya Soon,_

_Betsy_

(-3-)

The message had come through email to Sarah. She would never tell anyone, but she loved the Institute. She loved being able to, if she wanted, help herself to anything in the fridge. She could watch television- a novel experience for her. And, despite herself, she liked Jubilee. It had started off with one of those 'Jubilee, if you could show Sarah around…' lines from Professor Xavier, which was, in fact, a be-her-new-best-friend order in disguise, but Jubilee was active and happy and could more than make up for Sarah's long silences.

She had also been taken under Logan's wing, in a matter of speaking. Kitty said that Logan picked on her like hell, because she'd always have to do an extra shift in the Danger Room, but she enjoyed those times when she could fight and remember doing the same kind of thing with Betsy.

Betsy…she had left her unknowing of what had been happening for a month before the short email.

(-3-)

Betsy drove her blade through the last soldier, who cried out pitifully as he clutched at his chest as his blood spilt out.

"Training simulation over."

"Good stuff, girly," growled Sabretooth. He wasn't to be called by his name, Creed, either.

He had done everything he could to make her life misery for the first two weeks. He was in charge of maintaining the rigorous training schedule. She thought he was a mangy animal, perhaps even rabid. He thought that she was just a little girl who somehow used her mind powers to convince Magneto to let her come along for the ride. When she had first fought in the SOLDIER VS. MUTANTS Training Simulation and not hesitated to draw blood, he had built up a bit of respect for her. The other Acolyte boys seemed to be a little turned off by her fighting, but she assured them that, in real combat, she would probably not even cause a paper cut.

(-3-)

"Acolytes, I know you have been waiting for a chance to get off this island, so I am assigning you a simple task."

Betsy perked up. She was sitting in between Remy and St John (as he had, by then, told her his name) while Peotre stood behind, silent and solemn as usual. They had grown a lot closer. Remy was great for a bit of harmless flirting, but they each realized that they weren't gonna get anywhere more than a sneaky grope and slap in the face. Peotre, despite his solid appearance, was very sensitive and listen to her and let her just lie on his bed, while he was busy in some new piece of art.

But St. John and Betsy were a formidable pair, when they weren't arguing. This is how it would go:

"_St. John, we're not gonna watch Pokemon."_

"_But it's an important episode. There's a fire pokemon in it!"_

"_Make your own, John, cos I swear to God we are gonna watch Superman!"_

"_No way sheila!"_

"_Fine, you forced me to do this Johnny-boy."_

_Betsy wrapped her arms intimately round the shocked but not necessarily unpleased pyromaniac._

"_This could be fun too Sheila!"_

"_Yeah."_

_Betsy stood up and ran to the hall. Pausing, she flicked his favourite lighter open to look at the flame._

"_Mine now."_

"_Sheila!"_

(-3-)

Magneto silenced them. "Pyro, Gambit and Psylocke will be going to Bayville to train with the Brotherhood for a while. They need to be trained up and Mystique is elsewhere at the moment. Colossus will remain for the moment, but shall join you. You shall wait there until I contact you."

Magneto paused then gave an uncharacteristic smirk.

"And those Acolytes under the age of nineteen will be attending Bayville High and staying with the Brotherhood. We don't want you drawing the attention of human authorities."

St. John and Betsy exchanged a look and Remy started to chuckle quietly at first and then, looking at their faces, loudly.

Remy was twenty. Betsy and John were seventeen and eighteen."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight:** **New friends, new looks.**

"Y'know _chere_, Remy ain't neva seen you in a skirt."

"Shut it, Cajun. I can't believe he's doing this! Man! This sucks big time. We have to live in the same place that, like, his kids live!"

Remy chuckled.

"_Oui_. Speedy's a liddle pest but I hear da _femme's_ alright."

The three Brotherhood-bound mutants were in a Jeep, heading for Bayville. At first, Betsy had panicked, knowing that the X-Men lived there, but she figured that she'd just make herself unrecognizable.

(-3-)

Magneto had given them money to get some clothes and school gear. Betsy had stocked up on clothing she wouldn't normally wear and even consented to buy some make up. But, when she had passed a salon, she had an idea.

Betsy wanted to dye her hair purple.

So St John nearly dropped in shock. Her shining black hair was now deep indigo, which actually was quite flattering.

"What?" she had said innocently, running a hand through her hair.

(-3-)

"And Remy ain't neva seen you wid makeup on eida (either)."

"And Betsy thinks dat ya betta keep ya eyes on the road Cajun, or she'll wake up John."

"Easy, _chere_, no need for dat."

The night before, Betsy and Remy had tricked John into going into a sugar high. The kind that gets little kids and big pyromaniacs bouncing off the walls. He was so out of it now he didn't even stir at his name being mentioned.

It was entirely worth the chaos of last night, for the precious bit of silence in the Jeep.

"Y'know _chere_, Remy tinks dat you have nice legs and dat you should wear skirts more often."

"John! Look! It's charizard!

"CHARIZARD!"

John was up and bouncing off the walls within seconds.

"Dat's not nice, _chere_!"

(-3-)

The Brotherhood house, which was actually Mystique's, was an absolute mess. As they were looking, a plank of wood, literally, fell off the side of the house.

"Toad!" an enraged girl screamed.

A skinny boy with mossy green hair and eyes yelped as he burst out of the door and, believe it or nor, a wooden chair followed him. He was lucky to dodge it before it went hurtling into a tree.

Brushing off the dirt from his superman off the verandah, the boy looked up.

"Hey, yo! It's Gambit!"

A silver-haired boy, probably the same age as Pyro, whirled out of the house, leave spiraling in his wake.

"Message-from-the-man-Gambit?"

"Na, _home_. He sends ya a gift. Ya know Pyro and meet Psylocke. Dey be stayin' here a while."

"Not more lackeys."

An angry girl- presumably the one who had screamed at the skinny boy- stepped out into the sunlight. You know those blonde preppy girls you see screaming in a shoe sale? This girl looked like the one who would stomp on their perfectly-manicured fingernails as they reached for a cute pair of sandals.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff; the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilva. Todd Tolansky- Toad," Remy said helpfully. "Now Betsy and John…you be good to da teache's and dat, cos Remy be off."

John and Betsy instinctively moved together. Everyone was looking at them as though they had just said that they were taking over the house and everyone was being kicked out. Pietro, smooth as ever, whirled and took Betsy by the arm.

"So-Bets-welcome-to-the-Brotherhood."

St John looked at him angrily then flicking his lighter open sent a wave of fire at the smooth-talking speedster.

"Hey, Speedy. That's John's sheila!"

Betsy immediately turned to John, raising an eyebrow.

"Hell, we're so much better off here. You just talked in the third person AND said that I was yours. Next you'll be trying to make out with my hand like Remy."

St John blanched and paled. Everyone's worst nightmare. Turning into Remy.

"Just 'stablishing territory, mate," John said, glowering at Quicksilver, who he had managed to scorch.

That earned him a punch in the arm.

"I ain't your territory. I ain't anybody's territory. In this world, you're my territory and don't you forget it."

"Oooo.- So-dominant.- I-like-that-in-a-girl."

Pietro was quick but so was Betsy. Pietro hit the ground paralysed and Betsy turned him over with her foot, so that his drool would hit the ground.

(-3-)

Wanda smirked and went out to meet them.

"I'll show you round the place and you can meet Lance and Blob."

(-3-)

Betsy looked in the mirror. She was unrecognizable and St John would probably fall the old 'I'm just a figment of your imagination' line. She loved him. He _was_ crazy.

Her indigo hair had been secured back with a black bulldog clip she'd borrowed off Wanda. It was rolled in a tight bun, but she'd swiped some of Pietro's super-gel to make spikes stick out haphazardly. She was in a purple mood. She'd used some of the deep purple eye shadow she had to bring out her deep blue eyes. Her lips were glossed too. She was wearing a long violet top, which cinched tight around her hips, but had a fall of cloth that went around the top completely. She wore a black miniskirt and slim, black sandals. She was hot and she knew it.

"Come on, Psylocke, yo! You take as long as Wanda does! I gotta go bad!"

Betsy opened the door to Toad, who was doing a comical little dance to emphasis how urgent his need was. His wide eyes bulged.

"All yours Toady," she said, pecking him on the cheek.

She laughed at his shocked reaction and wondered whether he had just wet himself. He was still standing at the door as if she'd paralysed him.

She grabbed an apple as she passed the kitchen, where Blob was on to his third course and Wanda was doing the meditating thing she normally did with Agatha. She was gonna take a ride with Pyro, who had, through mysterious means, acquired a bike. It even had flame painting on it.

"Wow, sheila! You really scrub up well!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she said in a threatening tone, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. "Bearing in mind that I can make sharp little knives come out of each of my fingers?"

"Nothing, mate!"

(-3-)

They were off. Betsy loved the feeling of freedom that being on a motorcycle had. The wind rushed through her hair and she could feel Pyro breathing in deep in front of her. She nuzzled her head into his back, as if to avoid the wind messing up her hair.

Pyro had a huge grin on his face.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: Hey Jealousy…**

--Remember that no-one knows that they're all mutants…yet! Oh…and no Duncan and Jean. Yes, Duncan is still resident douche-bag, but he ain't dating the telepath.--

Scott Summers pulled up. Despite his threatening, Sarah, Jubilee and Rahne jumped out of the red convertible straight away, not bothering to use the doors. Jaime smiled apologetically then followed suit.

'Stupid kids,' he thought.

He went around and opened the door for Jean, who looked at him in bemusement.

"Chill Scott. They're just kids."

"I know. Hey- Jean! Look over there. Is that Pyro?"

"Pyro- Acolyte Pyro?"

"What's he doing here? Something's up."

(Wow…just thinking how alike Jean and Scott are to Daphne and whatshisname the blonde in Scooby-Doo…think 'bout it)

(-3-)

"Play it cool, sheila. The red's a telepath and the guy in the glasses is one of Xavier's."

Betsy cocked an eyebrow then touched his arm.

I've gotta go. The telepath will probably try to read me and won't be able to get in. She'll go running to Xavier.>

-Sure. You go. I'll see ya after mate.-

-Thanks.-

(-3-)

Betsy slid off the motorcycle and made for the crowds as the two team leaders approached Pyro.

"Hey, mates! If it ain't my fav'rit sheila and...ol' One-Eye!"

"Cut the crap, Pyro. What are you doing here?" said Scott, automatically bringing his hands to eyelevel.

"Easy Scott. There are people around."

"See the pretty sheila isn't as rude."

This compliment caused Jean to blush and Scott to scowl, but put his hand down.

"What are you doing here?" Jean asked.

"Why else'd I be at school?"

"You go here? You go to Bayville High!" Scott exclaimed.

"Spot on, One-Eye. And If you'd be much obliged, I'd like to see whether the sheila'd show me around."

Jean blushed again.

"Sure. We might have some classes together."

(-3-)

Scott stood stunned and watched as the two walked into the crowd. His eyes caught out a girl wearing a purple top, who turned and walked back into the crowd. It had been the girl who had taken a ride to school with Pyro. He took a mental note to track her down, but instead followed Pyro and Jean.

(-3-)

She couldn't believe it. Sure- she didn't mind harmless flirting, but the tall, red-haired telepath had gone off on his arm. It hurt. Using her empathy, she quested after them. John was happy and she didn't risk probing the telepath's mind. She also felt an echo of her own hurt from the guy who had confronted John. He made eye contact with her (or she thought he did- hard to say with those glasses), but took off after the pair.

(-3-)

"I can't believe that Scott, like, left us behind!"

"Vat? Don't you like to port with ze Fuzzy dude?"

"No! I smell like smoke or whatever it is!"

"Zat hurts Kitty."

The two young mutants were on their way to their first class- Art. Kurt noticed a pretty, dark-haired girl with deep indigo hair looking slightly apprehensive as she stood outside the art room doors.

"Are you lost, frauline?"

"He, like, means girl when he says that."

"Oh, yeah, I get it. Is this the art room?" she said, once more peeking into the classroom.

"Yes. I am Kurt Vagner and this is Kitty."

The girl gave a friendly smile.

"Betsy. This is my first day at Bayville High."

Kitty looked her over. Her outfit was a bit revealing, but stylish. Well, Kitty thought so. Kurt couldn't help but look down at her long legs, but quickly averted his gaze at her frank stare at him. He'd have blushed, but his image inducer wouldn't do that.

"You should come sit with us! They'd probably be cool with that."

Betsy pursed her lips slightly. Did they all sit as a group? All the X-Men? She was, technically, their enemy, but they didn't know that. And Betsy still hadn't decided whether or not to reveal herself to Sarah.

"I might, but I'm boarding with these other guys- the Brotherhood- so I'll see."

Betsy smiled sweetly then headed confidently into the room. Sixteen or so eyes flicked to look at her and she again smiled. This was all a game for her and she knew how to play it.

'The Brotherhood?' Kitty mouthed to Kurt.

Kurt shrugged and went to sit down; not near Betsy, but not too far away either.

(-3-)

"…and so I decided that I'd give up the life of a true-blue Aussie outback ranger out in theranges and come up to the States and meet all the pretty American sheilas," concluded John, tipping a wink that seemed to encompass Jean and the teacher, who each giggled in response.

The older teacher sighed in satisfaction. She had been praising the young Acolyte since the beginning of the lesson, when he'd written a beautiful, dramatic piece on the beauty of flames.

"That was lovely, John. You really must tell me more of your stories, or write it down for the class."

Scott mood, already foul, deepened. Jean, Tarryn and, hell, even the English teacher had been making eyes at Pyro since he'd arrived in class.

He and Jean had walked in late (John of course, grinning widely at Scott as he opened the door for Jean). From the moment that he'd made a florid bow at his introduction to the class, he had everyone around his little finger.

The bell rang and Scott departed, pushing Pyro out of the way and ignoring Jean completely.

"Scott!"

(-3-)

"Heya boys," said Tabby, sitting at the table, which had officially become known as the 'Brotherhood' table. However, it was not unknown for Tabby and even Rogue to sometimes visit for lunch.

"Rumour has it that you guys have a new boarder."

"Two," said Blob, between mouthfuls of greasy cafeteria food. "Mags sent 'em."

"Shut-it-Blob.Tabby-you-can-sit-here-but-don't-fish-for-info-for-the-X-geeks," said Pietro rapidly.

"Hey," cried the blonde defensively, raising two hands. "Maybe you should check out Pyro. He's getting pretty cozy with Red over there." –she tipped them a wink- "Watch Summers."

The Brotherhood all turned (except Wanda, who was above that kind of thing) and looked at Scott. He was scowling heavily at John, who was in the middle of a tale that seemed to involve a lot of gestures.

"Y'all know it's rude t'stare?"

"Rogue! Ditching the X-geeks, are you?"

"Ah just can't stand Pyro," said the pale Goth with the bright green eyes.

"And now there's a free seat. Later!" said Tabby, hurrying to retrieve Rogue's empty seat.

"Hey-Lance. Check-out-Locke-with-your-pretty-Kitty," shot in Pyro, zipping to sit next to an empty seat.

"Huh?"

"So, vhy are you staying viz ze Brotherhood?"

"It's not permanent. Just staying there then moving on."

"You should, like, come stay with us. We have plenty of room at the Institute."

"Hey Kitty- is zat Pyro viz Jean?"

"I gotta go," blurted out Betsy then bailed.

"Hey- weren't you like gonna sit with us?"

(-3-)

Betsy was fuming. There was St bloody John sitting with the X-Men like one of them. Jean Grey had her hand resting on his arm while a blonde girl laughed loudly at his little anecdote. She couldn't help feeling the twinge of jealousy.

'I'm not jealous,' she fumed to herself, 'but John will be soon!'

Betsy sat next to Pietro, who stretched to put an arm over her shoulder.

"Y'know, Speedy, I could take that arm off for you or you could end up drooling on the cafeteria floor in front of all your girl friends."

Pietro moved his arm. Lance casually started a conversation.

"So, Betsy, made any friends yet?"

Betsy immediately caught the question he was dying to ask. The image of her and Kitty walking in was still fresh in his mind.

"Yeah…one sweet girl called…oh…what was her name…" she stumbled purposefully.

"Kitty?"

"Yeah- that's right Lance. She's very pretty, isn't she? Oh- and a nice guy called Kurt."

Lance blushed, aware he'd been caught out.

"Kurt's mah little brother- by ahdoption," helped Rogue, who didn't know the girl.

"Oh, sorry! I'm Betsy."

"Ah'm Rogue," she replied.

"Rogue!" she exclaimed. Was this Remy's beloved Rogue, his _belle femme_?

Rogue was staring.

"Sorry. The name just reminded me of a Cajun guy in town."

Rogue's eyes widened. Gambit? He was in town? Who was this girl?


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: A Visit to the Mansion.**

--Sorry, but I don't remember who roomed with who, so I kinda made most of it up. Umm…a little bit of angst for X23/Sarah.--

Betsy had decided to take the Jeep with Lance, Toad and Wanda home. Wanda raised an eyebrow at her when she'd hopped in.

"What?" Betsy had demanded.

Wanda just turned away. The other Brotherhood members had seen how John and her were all over each other. Just Wanda was the only one with brains to spare, but Pietro would catch on quick and, metaphorically, 'move in for the kill'.

But, at the moment, Betsy had bigger things in mind. After seeing Sarah looking somewhat put out at her friends' talk of the upcoming dance and who they hoped to secure for the night, Betsy had decided it was time to visit Sarah, if only to lift her spirits.

(-3-)

Betsy was in her new uniform, but still wore her favourite ninja garb over it. She had lost the makeup and her hair was completely concealed. A violet bandana was across her face. She wasn't Elizabeth 'Betsy' Braddock tonight. She was Psylocke.

The Institute seemed oddly eerie for a moment, as Psylocke stood at its formidable steel gates. It was past midnight and there was only one light on- and it was flashing. Ignoring her doubts, Psylocke easily scaled the fence. She would go by road. The X-Men had no reason to attack her and, if she came out into the open, there'd be a lesser chance at setting off some defense system.

There was no flashing red light, nor any sign that her presence had been noted. Not even when she opened the front door and stepped into the mansion. That really surprised her. They left the door of a mansion unlocked? It was well past midnight now, so Psylocke did a service and locked the door for them.

Stealthily skirting the side of a wall, she realized she had no idea where Sarah's room actually was. She scowled. It would be hard if she had to open every door in the mansion to find her.

Sighing heavily, she started her search.

(-3-)

She opened the first door a crack. It was a girl about her age, who was wearing –believe it or not- velvet on a silk-covered bed. Obviously not her. In a bed near her was another freckled, rusty-haired girl, who twitched slightly in her sleep and growled softly before turning over. Scary but not too surprising.

The next room she tried was the telepath's room. She seriously considered going in there and doing room some serious damage…or at least scorch the red hair that lay spread out all over the pillow with a lighter she'd 'borrowed' off John. Had Psylocke's mind not been blocked from telepaths, Jean would have sensed her, but she was deep in some kind of dream that caused her to smile and giggle.

Psylocke gave a grimace went up the stairs.

She almost laughed out loud when she reached the first room. It was Kitty and Rogue's. Half of the room seemed to be made up of things that would make most grown people retch…going along the lines of pink covers, pink pjs and stuffed animals. Rogue's side of the room wasn't as dark as you'd expect, but compared to the pink and fluffy side…

(-3-)

Still chuckling quietly she closed the door softly.

"You don't live here, do ya bub?" 'snickt'

Psylocke cocked her head and turned, at the same time taking off her bandanna.

"And you didn't strike me as the baby-sitting kind, Logan."

Logan withdrew his adamantium claws. He had picked up a foreign, but strangely familiar scent on his patrol of the halls.

"I'm looking for Sarah."

"Thought ya might've been, kid. Third door on the left; she shares it with another kid."

"Thanks Logan," she said and turned to make her way down, but Logan grabbed her arm.

"Kid, you should stay. X misses ya and you might be getting yourself into more trouble than ya can handle."

Psylocke wrenched her arm out of his grasp.

"I know what I'm doing, Logan."

As she turned and walked away from him, Logan shook his head. The reason he hadn't recognized the scent was because it was mingled with the scent of others…namely, the Brotherhood and rather strongly of one Acolyte. He walked away to give the girls some privacy. Not his problem.

(-3-)

Sarah's woke up and tensed when she heard the door open from the outside. It was too late for Logan's midnight patrol, but too early for the three o'clock patrol. Her eyes snapped open when she caught the familiar scent.

"Not here. Downstairs," Psylocke whispered under her breath.

Sarah waited a moment then padded towards the still open door. Her roommate, Jubilation Lee, stirred.

"Where ya going?" she queried sleepily.

"Just to get a drink of water."

"I'll come with you," said a Jubilee shaking her head to clear it.

"I'll bring one up. Go back to sleep Jubes," Sarah hissed at her. Jubilee would be asleep by then, anyway.

The girls embraced one another at the bottom of the stairs.

"I missed you, Bets."

"I missed you too, X. Anywhere else we can talk, instead of in the middle of the entrance room?"

Sarah lead Betsy to the kitchen, where she prepared her a hot chocolate.

"Ah, so you've learnt the fine art of making hot chocolate!" joked Betsy.

"Yeah. The students pretty much cook for everyone here."

"Mmm…" murmured Betsy, trying the hot drink.

"Where have you been?"

Betsy looked at Sarah, whose hurt was plain to see. It was a throbbing sense of abandonment, of being given away.

"Control your emotions, Sarah. Do you want a telepath to come down?"

Sarah bit a lip at Betsy's sharp comment, but took a breath and started to relax.

"I'm sorry, Sarah. I didn't know you would feel that way. Do you remember that once I told you that there were many things that a bigger than us? Things that were more important than our own happiness?"

Sarah nodded, not exactly understanding. When they'd been twelve and fourteen, Betsy had told her this. Betsy continued, unsure.

"What I am doing, I cannot share with you. It may be more important than you believe and you may doubt me. But don't doubt that I still love you like a sister and that, at all costs, I will protect you. I've chosen a difficult path for myself and I don't want you on it."

Inside Sarah, the hurt was building.

"Betsy, I'd follow you in an instant. Please take me with you. I love the Institute and this life, but I'd rather lose that than never see you."

Betsy stood up. She smiled ruefully at the girl.

"You'll probably see me a lot. Then you might change your mind. Goodnight Sarah."

(-3-)

Sarah waited for two minutes, until she was sure that Psylocke had left. She got Jubilee her water and went to bed, burying her head into her pillows to cry.

In the morning, Logan had asked her gruffly whether she was alright.

"I've never been better," she said in a cold voice.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Don't call my girl sheila.**

--Okay…introducing a new 'romance'…Betscan! Oh…however you'd combine Betsy and Duncan the Jock . NOTE: Not a real romance! Oh, but Jean's pretty into Pyro, but John's losing interest, so JYRO!--

"Man…that new chick is hot!"

"Too bad. She's too young for you."

"Hey- one year's nothing!"

"Then I'm gonna get to her first."

The Brotherhood couldn't believe it. Psylocke. Betsy. Elizabeth Braddock. At cheerleading trials. She was dressed up in the oh-so-flattering Bayville High cheerleading uniform. She even had the matching pom-poms.

In the bleachers were the two groups. The Brotherhood, headed by bad-boy, Lance, and the Jocks, headed by King Jock, Duncan. Pietro couldn't keep the smirk off his face, although he kept on shooting angry looks at the loud Jocks, whose comments mainly concerned how hot the new girls were and which ones they'd take to the dance.

Betsy smiled sweetly at the Brotherhood then tipped the jocks a wink.

(-3-)

Underneath the bleachers, St John looked hurt. No-one had bothered to tell him that Betsy –_his _sheila- would be doing this kind of thing. He was even more hurt than she hadn't told him herself. Duncan, sitting directly above John, wolf-whistled loudly as Betsy's name was called out for the trial. Scowling, John flicked his lighter open to send a small ball of flame snaking up to Duncan. Duncan yelped loudly as the fire scorched his back. John would have liked to torture him some more, but he wanted to watch his sheila.

Betsy cracked her neck. She'd never cheerleaded before, but it looked easy. Move the arms like your dancing, shake your booty and, for dramatic effect, do a few impressive gymnastic moves. Well, Betsy could dance and knew more than just a little impressive gymnastics (having joints on the verge of elastic made one very flexible).

"Okay," called out Tarryn, who would be helping to judge, "Watch what Lisa does then repeat it."

Lisa, a gorgeous blonde cheerleader stepped forward. Music suddenly blared and she was off. Left arm up and out, right arm up and out. Arm wave, turn around. Cartwheel end in splits.

"Go Bayville!"

Once more the jocks wolf-whistled.

Flicking her violet hair out of her face, Betsy wondered whether John was watching or whether he was off charming his darling Jean. John watched her avidly from below the bleaches. The sun turned her rich purple hair into a glowing halo.

Betsy did the arm movements then turned and did a cartwheel into the splits.

"Go Bayville!" she sang out in her best ditzy voice. It was a perfect imitation of Lisa.

"Good work, Betsy! You're in!"

(-3-)

"Is-she-with-Pyro-or-what?" demanded Pietro.

Lance shrugged.

"Dunno…he seemed pretty into the X-chick," shrugged Lance, equally puzzled as to what was going on.

Wanda sneered and stood up. She'd seen John go storming off and knew exactly what Betsy was playing at.

"Idiots."

"Hey- do you think she knows something we don't yo?"

(-3-)

Betsy went over to the drinks' machine and stood there, as if wondering what she should invest her one dollar coin in.

"Can I buy the newest cheerleader a drink, Betsy, is it?"

Duncan had snatched the opportunity to get to her. Pietro would've had the chance, had he not been trying to guess about her and Pyro. Then again…Duncan was even better than just anyone. Duncan was the most popular guy: the guy who pissed the most people off.

"Hmmm…" Betsy pretended to consider, "only if that drink is Pepsi."

"Your wish is my command," flirted the tall, blonde jock, popping in a coin and pressing the Pepsi button.

"Oh, how can I ever repay you?" sighed Betsy dramatically, as she accepted the beverage.

Duncan seized the moment (_carper diem_ style!).

"You can let me take you to the dance, babe."

He was quick. He was smooth. He did everything right. Just like Betsy had planned.

"Meet you at seven?"

"Done deal, babe. Welcome to Bayville."

(-3-)

"What's the matter, John? You seem quiet," queried Jean, almost considering doing a scan of his mind, but drawing back. If she wanted to get closer, she'd have to have boundaries.

"Nothing, love. Just thinking," replied a sullen St. John.

Wanda had taken – well, hexed- him aside and hissed at him what a jerk he was being. Didn't he see how Betsy felt? Did he just lead her on the whole time? What was he playing, going off with Jean Grey? He really was crazy!

Now St John was thinking hard. He'd make it up to her! He'd do something crazy and cute so she'd love him again!

"Jeany," he said, turning to her, "I wanna tell you something."

--Enter Duncan with Betsy on his arm.--

"And so Tarryn's going to go with Summers? They'll make such an awesome couple!"

"We'll show 'em up though babe."

Duncan sneaked an arm around her waist and pulled her against her hip and she giggled girlishly. When acting as a spy, she learnt a lot about putting on characters. This one was tactfully called I'm-So-Popular-And-Stupid-But-I-Get-To-Make-Out-With-A-Stud. She hated it. She loved John's expression.

"Betsy, sheila!" exclaimed John in amazement as she walked past.

Duncan immediately scowled.

"Don't call my girl sheila," he said, before wrapping an arm possessively around her again.

"Seeya John, later Jean!" Betsy said with a shrug, flicking her hair out of her face as she left.

"That was weird. You were saying John?"

"Jean, love, will you go to the dance with me?"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: The Dance and Revelations.**

--Time for some mutant-bashing! Okay, I'm gonna set the dance on the same night that Kurt and Forge kinda ripped a big hole in some parallel dimension. Pairings for the dance are: Lance/Kitty, Kurt/Amanda, Scott/Tarryn, Jean/St John, Rogue alone (but not for long!), Jubilee/Bobby, Wanda/Toad (but Wanda thinks she's alone), Blob/Tabby (just for fun), Rahne/random person, Sarah/Alex (as in Scott's lil bro), Pietro/all-girls-at-the-dance and, of course, Betsy/Duncan. We'll also have all the monsters coming in for the partay and the mutants being revealed! Oh, main focus is on the jealousy between Pyro and Psylocke, but will have nice little fluff sections.--

"Duncan, do you have to hold me so tight?" said Betsy plaintively.

"Yep. Just so I can show you off to everyone," replied Duncan with a smirk.

Betsy was dressed to kill and for some reason, Duncan couldn't keep his hands off her.

(-3-)

Her long hair had been tied back into an elegant twist, but not completely. Twining tendrils snaked down her back and fell around her shoulders, framing her face. She was wearing purple eye shadow, with a hint of blue towards the edges and her lips were a sheer shade of red. The dress she wore was a sleeveless one, revealing her delicate shoulders and pale arms. It was dark violet, bordering on black. The bottom, which was shorter at the front but lengthened at the back had little hidden folds of fabric. When she did a little whirl, these hidden bits would flash then disappear. And, just to be a little naughty, she was wearing tall black stilettos with silver clasps. The kind you see A-grade models falling over in. She also wore a silver necklace with a small blue stone winking from it. Remy would've appreciated it.

Speaking of said Cajun, he had called saying he'd be there. Remy had been visiting the Brotherhood house every couple of days to run a training session. Remy and Psylocke would run the training session and Pyro, well, he helped, somehow…

(-3-)

Laying a hand gently on his arm, she sent him a mental order to let go of her and let her walk by herself. The same arm that had been sneaking lower than her waist suddenly offered itself to her so she could gently rest a hand on it. She may be acting the ditzy girl willing to do anything for her jock boyfriend, but she had a feeling that, by the end of the night, he'd be either unconscious or with another girl.

"Toad? Where'd you get the money to rent a tux?" scowled Wanda. She was wearing a tight red gown with a slit down one side, for movement and to show off her shining, thigh-high black leather boots. She wore a long black coat over this and her silver cross earrings. She had the regular dark makeup on.

"Same place as the money to get you these lovely flowers, cuddle-bumps," said Toad appealingly, brandishing a bunch of red roses.

"Why'd I bother asking?" she grumbled to herself.

"Cos' you love the sound of your Toad's voice, cuddle-bumps?"

Sighing in exasperation, Wanda gave in.

"Fine. I'll dance with you as long as you don't call me that in public."

Toad jumped for joy (about two metres or so upwards).

"Wouldn't have it any other way!"

(-3-)

"Uh…you like nice Kitty," mumbled Lance unsurely.

Kurt and Kitty had just arrived and wandered out of the bushes; no funny business, just having ported in.

"Thanks Lance, you look, like, good in that jacket."

Kitty, of course, was wearing a pink dress with flirty, string straps. Lance, at Betsy's behest, was wearing dark trousers, a clean button-up shirt and what looked like the blazer from a business suit. Somehow it still portrayed him as a badboy, but a metrosexual one. Kurt glared at Lance.

"Kitty, eef you have any pvoblems, just call me, _ja_?"

"Whatever, Kurt! I can look after myself!"

Kurt headed off to find Amanda, with a last warning glance at Lance. Lance had been observing the other guys escorting their dates in and, surprising Kitty, actually offered her his arm.

(-3-)

From the bushes that Kurt and Kitty had wandered from, there was a slight tearing sound. Kinda like Velcro, but very important Velcro that held dimensions together, but separate. Brimstone leaked out and four creatures, somewhere between an upright crocodile and broad-faced shark wandered out, hissing in the cool air of another world.

(-3-)

"Did you see the look on Professor Logan's face?"

Pyro laughed loudly. He had gone to pick up Jean on the motorbike and, offering her a helmet, said wisely (and very loudly) to the growling Wolverine:

"Don't worry Wolvie, mate! I always make sure there's protection."

Wolverine's face had gone from red to…redder? John gave a maniacal laugh before speeding down the Institute driveway as Wolverine started forward, claws out.

Xavier had vouched for him, saying that, although Pyro had been an Acolyte, he was living with the Brotherhood and, having let Lance take Kitty and Blob, Tabby, it would not do to disallow St John. Besides, Jean was capable of defending herself.

(-3-)

John dismounted the bike smoothly and, without offering to help Jean, turned towards the dance, searching out Betsy. She and Wanda had gotten ready together and had left before John had had a chance to see them.

"Come on, Jeany," he said impatiently, as she stumbled off the bike in her heels.

(-3-)

Scott and Tarryn looked uncomfortable in the front seat. Any girl would've been ecstatic to be taken to the dance in a red convertible with Scott Summers. However, they didn't have four kids crammed in the back seat and one between them.

"Sorry Scott, we didn't have another way to get there," said Alex, Scott's younger brother, shame-faced from between the two in the front seat.

"Chill, alright," snapped back Scott.

In the backseat, Rahne, Sarah and Jubilee chatted happily, while Bobby looked somewhat left out, with his date's back in his face. Jubilee, in an emergency, had told Bobby that he'd be taking her. Sarah and Alex, both fairly new to the institute, had immediately paired up and, as Alex made eye contact and smiled at her in the driver's mirror, she blushed.

As usual, the kids didn't use the doors but simply jumped over the edge of the car and ran off to the dance.

(-3-)

Rogue stood at the back of the dancehall scowling. Not so far back as to join the parents, who had volunteered to chaperone the event and ruin it for the hormonal teens, but far enough so that dancing couples wouldn't run into her.

She was wearing a long black dress with spaghetti straps. Over that she had a sheer covering, somewhere between a shawl and a long-sleeved shirt. She had on gloves, as usual, but velveteen black ones which reached past her elbows.

"Aww _chere_, why ain't you out on de dancefloor?" a voice drawled from behind her.

Rogue turned around in surprise.

"Because Ah don't do crowds, swamp rat," she replied to the cocky Cajun who had sneaked up behind her.

He closed the distance between them to stand next to her.

"Then why'd ya come, river rat?"

Rogue grimaced. The few times they were together they'd play this game. Remy flirting outrageously and seeming to turn her words against her and Rogue steadily getting angrier and angrier till she stormed off. He'd been around town a lot lately and made a habit of being wherever she'd be. She asked the same question she had when he'd made a big show of running into her and knocking her books out of her hands at a book store.

"What are ya doing here, Cajun?"

Remy made a show of thinking hard.

"Came to see how _belle_ ya'd be tonight, _mon chere_."

"Ah'm not your _chere_," retorted Rogue. "What are you and Pyro doing in Bayville?"

"Tell ya what _chere_. Remy'll tell ya if ya dance with Remy."

"I told ya Gambit: Ah. Don't. Do. Crowds."

Remy took her hand and wrapped other hand round her waist.

"Den we'll dance right here."

Rogue scowled but wrapped her well covered arms around Remy's neck.

"No funny business, Cajun."

(-3-)

Betsy saw St John come in.

"Let's dance Duncan."

"Not for me, babe. I don't do school dances."

"How'd you think it'd look if your date ditched you to dance with some other guy?"

"Awww man…guys, I'll make it quick."

Betsy had been steadily growing more irritated that night. Duncan had made a beeline for his fellow jocks, leaving Betsy to stand with the other girls (mostly cheerleaders, too). She didn't want to dance with Duncan, but it was part of her plan. Hurt John like he'd hurt her. She even let Duncan put his hands on her waist.

"Not so bad, is it?"

Duncan snickered in response, running his hands over her waist. He'd been radiating annoyance but had calmed down. She tapped slightly into his thoughts, so she could see what he was seeing. She could see herself ('Man, I'm cute!') and the couples dancing behind her. She could see Sarah dancing with a tall, blonde boy with longer hair. She smiled at this, although it didn't seem likely that Sarah would still wish to know Betsy. Since she'd come to Bayville, Betsy had made perfume her new thing. Sarah didn't even know that she had purple hair and, when they passed one another, she would often sneeze as she got a scent of her perfume.

She directed Duncan's eyes to the door and saw St John standing there with Jean.

'Jean's hot tonight…maybe I'll steal her off the freak…" came one of Duncan's thoughts.

She was more interested in Pyro, who was suddenly getting angry.

(-3-)

Pyro saw Betsy with the jock's hands all over her. Jean forgotten, he reached into his pocket to draw out his lighter. He flicked it open and the flame started to grow.

(-3-)

"Get down!" yelled Betsy, pushing Duncan to the floor and ducking herself as a great flaming dragon (looking oddly like Charizard) swooped at the pair. People thought it was just a stunt at first and looked at it, murmuring something about special effects. The fiery dragon was after Duncan and, as it swooped down again to set Duncan alight, she called out a blade and sliced it in two. The apparition gave a scream and exploded.

There was silence in the hall. Then Duncan spoke, as if she'd been one to attack him.

"Mutant…"

There were angry voices in the gym. It was a murmur then an angry buzz. Mixed feelings were crowding her. Fear. Hate. Anger. What right had they to feel that way? What had she done to them?

"She's a mutant!"

"They're both mutants!"

"I thought there was no such things as mutants."

"Oh God, she could slice us to pieces and he's gonna burn us all alive!"

"She must've used her powers to get Duncan to ask her out?" –obviously from one of Duncan's fan girls-

People started to draw back from her. She noticed that the Brotherhood started to pull together. She gave the slightest of headshakes and they separated again.

"Shit," stated Betsy.

"Sorry, mate. That'd be my fault."

"No- I think it was actually mine, Pyro," sighed Betsy.

Then, when things started to look like they were gonna get nasty, a group of girls, coming back from the toilet, ran in screaming.

"Monsters!"

(-3-)

Sarah's eyes were wide. Betsy had been at school and she hadn't known. Betsy hadn't bothered to tell her. But now, defending a human, she looked like she was in trouble.

-Nobody reveal yourself. Use your powers if you must but don't let anyone see you.- came Jean's psychic command.

(-3-)

Remy and Rogue had been dancing for over an hour, still exchanging the occasional quips when the great fiery dragon attacked Duncan.

"Ah, river rat, Remy's duty calls," Gambit said, reaching into his pocket to extract a pack of cards.

"Hey, wait Gambit, ya didn' say what ya were doing in Bayville," interceded Rogue, grabbing Remy's arm.

"Ya right, Roguey. Babysittin' de Brotherhood and gettin' two Acolytes outta Mag's hair."

Gambit parted, but stopped when he saw Pyro behind Psylocke and the girls who cried 'monsters'.

A few people laughed then failed when the girls came in. Sure, it took the attention off the two mutants but then the door burst open again.

--Just cos I know not everyone likes big words like I do, metrosexual is taking care of your appearance, but not like people say flamboyantly 'gay' guys do…on that note, when reviewing, please say something mocking about my older brother who I caught wearing foundation to see his girlfriend…stupid boy…--


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen: Kurt's Monsters and we're okay now, right?**

--Here are Kurt's monsters…I didn't think it would be very impressive to say they looked like giant tadpoles with legs and teeth, but most people know what Kurt's dimensional monsters are and where they come from? I don't know whether I'll reveal anymore mutants, but I might.--

The few people who had laughed stopped dead as the door burst open and two creatures paused, as if choosing their prey.

They weren't as tall as most people. They were, in fact, quite stocky. Their long legs were tipped with talons and their scaled bodies rippled in the strobe lights. One opened its mouth widely and hissed, advancing on the group of cheerleaders, who had been abandoned by their respective jocks. For the girls, who seemed so lithe and quick on their feet during a football match, they seemed to have little desire to flee.

(-3-)

Whipping a long, scaled tail wildly, it charged into them. The girls screamed. A blast of red light shot through the air and hit the creature in the side, throwing it into the wall.

Scott Summers lowered his glasses as he advanced on the creature, ready to fire again. He, apparently, hadn't seen the second creature.

"Scott, watch out!" Jean cried, sending a table to intercept the creature, which smashed through it and kept going at Scott.

"Wow!" yelled Scott as he fell backwards to avoid the gnashing jaws of the monster. Meanwhile, its friend got up. It charged straight into the crowd. Pietro zipped in, grabbing one girl and taking her to the side, just as the creature zipped past.

(-3-)

Betsy spent a moment considering whether or not the creature was endangered. Think not, she shook her hands, calling on the purple psionic energy. With a yell of angry effort, she sent two discs hurtling at it. They weren't aimed to kill, just knockout. One disc zipped straight past and exploded into a wall (not causing any damage, just a flash of light). The next one hit it in the leg and flew forwards, its leg paralysed and went spinning into a table, sending punch everywhere.

Betsy caught a loud "Eeew" from Kitty somewhere near the table and yelled to warn her about the flailing tail.

"Kitty- look out!"

The tail went straight through her body as Kitty phased.

Betsy ran over.

"Nice trick Kitty," she said with a grin as she stood hard on the tail, calling up a psionic blade to knock out the creature completely.

"I practice," she replied, wringing punch from her hair. "That's a nice shade of purple."

"Thanks," Betsy replied casually, plunging the psionic blade through the creature's forehead.

It really surprised her when she was hit by anger. She had never known animals to exercise emotion and this one was angry at everything. She picked up images of fire then darkness as its mind went to sleep.

(-3-)

Scott fought to keep the beast off him as it snapped at his face. His glasses flew off and he screwed his eyes shut. He couldn't risk opening them; he could hit someone or even bring the whole gym down, besides he had to concentrate on holding back the beast on top of him. He groaned as it dug its talons into him.

Rogue ran at the beast and sent it reeling with a flying sidekick. She knelt to pass Scott his glasses.

"Thanks Rogue," he said, grimacing as she helped him up.

The remaining monster made as if to attack again, but Jubilee, eager to prove herself too, jumped in front of it. She sent a dazzling volley of little 'fireworks' into its face, causing it to flinch and fall backwards blinded.

Blob, using the strength which so many people underestimated, charged straight at it and sent it crashing through a wall, apparently out cold.

(-3-)

Kurt winced as people screamed. He had disappeared for a moment to turn off his image inducer. He bamfed over to where the paralysed monster was.

Sending a demonic grin at Kitty and Betsy, he said "Forge az a lot to answer for, ja?"

There was a cloud of smoke as Kurt teleported, presumably back to the Institute, with his monster.

"That was Kurt," Kitty whispered to Betsy.

"I know," said Betsy back in a stage-whisper.

(-3-)

Later that night, at the Mansion, the X-Men were gathered to be spoken to by Professor Charles Xavier. They had, once Kurt had disappeared with the monsters, made a speedy entrance.

Forge (having also introduced the monsters into the mansion)had gone home after receiving his share of death threats from Logan. Everyone was now waiting in an apprehensive silence. Everyone could feel the tension and everyone jumped as Kurt bamfed into the room.

Professor Xavier entered the room and Logan and Ororo (Storm) moved to stand behind him. Hank McCoy (Beast) was still tending to Scott's wounds.

"Scott and Jean have told me of the occurrences at the Bayville High Dance, earlier this evening..."

Everyone hung their heads.

"…and I must say that I am extremely proud of all of you."

Everyone's heads perked up. Jubilee's mouth had dropped comically open and she closed it at a nudge from Bobby.

"This is, indeed, probably not the ideal to reveal to your peers that you are in fact mutants, but nonetheless…some will remember that you acted in their defense."

"But Professor," interrupted Kitty, "we started the whole mess AND a mutant attacked a student."

"Ah yes, Mr Allderdyce (John's last name, forgive the spelling if it's incorrect). Although his actions were selfish, you must forgive him. He has been – or may still be- one of Magneto's Acolytes. It riles him to keep his powers concealed. And the other mutant, who acted in defense-"

"It was Elizabeth Braddock. Codename: Psylocke."

Professor Xavier's high-set eyebrows raised an inch more. Logan had started at that announcement and eyes turned to Sarah, who had spoken.

"I see," said the Professor, eyes turning back to him. "This may put it on a whole new level. Has anyone here, other than Sarah and Logan, been associated with her?"

Kurt and Kitty raised their hands, as did Rogue.

"Psylocke comes from a past similar to that of Logan and Sarah, who was once known as X23."

There were nods around the room. No-one knew the whole truth, but a picture had been pieced together from the information of those who had been in Area 51.

"It is disappointing if she has joined Magneto. I would very much like to meet her, but, if she has joined his Acolytes, we must accept that she too can be considered out enemy and an enemy of humanity. If she has any skills, comparable to those of Logan and Sarah, we must be very careful in the way we tread and why the Acolytes are in Bayville."

"Yeah, Remy said that Magneto wanted Pyro and Psylocke out of his hair for a waile!" said Rogue then blushed. "Ah 'ran inta him' at the dance."

"Such a shame. So we could surmise that Magneto is now on the move and wants very few to know about it."

Everyone waited eagerly, as if the Professor was about to reveal the big secret of Magneto's next move.

"But I'm afraid that is all. Logan, Ororo, Hank- please make sure that the students make their way to their own rooms and that there is to be no gossip until morning."

-And Jean, I pity your taste in men. Try next time to choose someone who has not been diagnosed clinically insane.-

Jean considered retorting but realized that he had a valid point.

'Nice work,' Jean thought to herself, 'Pick the crazy ones. I hope Scott doesn't think badly of me…'

"Professor," Sarah said, not looking Xavier in the eye. She had lost the emotionless, cruelty of her voice during the time she'd been there. "Psylocke is an accomplished spy and assassin. She came here to see me. She said that what she was doing may not seem like the right thing but she had motives which were hidden."

Professor Xavier steepled his hands, looking at Sarah.

"Yes, Logan informed me that she had snuck into the mansion undetected. Thank you for tell me that. However, we must treat this girl as an enemy, until we have further information. Goodnight Sarah."

(-3-)

"So…" said St John nervously.

"So…" echoed Betsy.

After the dance, Betsy and John had sped back to the house on the motorbike. It had been a silent trip, but not the comfortable kind.

"I'm sorry I let Duncan take me to the dance," began Betsy.

"And I'm sorry for you too…I mean, sheila, he had his hands all over ya!"

Betsy and John exchanged smiles.

There was more silence.

"I'm sorry I took Jean Grey to the dance. I really am insane, mate."

"I know you are, Johnny-boy," replied Betsy, leaning her head on John's shoulder.

"And-I'm-sorry-I-just-watched-this-pity-fest."

"Pietro!" they yelled simultaneously, but Pietro had already whipped away, cackling wildly at their indignation.

"We have to get him," observed Betsy, now smiling.

"I've always wondered what Speedy'd look like in Wanda's clothes…"

They thought about it for a moment then both burst into laughter and quieted again.

"John…"

"Yes sheila?"

"Wanna make out?"

"Yes I do sheila."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen: Back to the new home and the old home**

--A couple of fun chapters…mainly to get over the fact that my Bio teacher gave me a pinned down cricket and told me to spread its wings…jeez…stupid woman…she didn't even kill it properly and it just wouldn't die!--

Betsy woke instantly, but did not open her eyes. She was deliciously warm and smiled sleepily, recalling the night's events. She and John had made-up (and out) then snuggled on the couch, watching the coffee table slowly burn to embers, but not catch the rest of the house alight…pyromaniac love.

"Do you think he knocked her out, yo?" said a hushed, almost awed voice.

There was a snicker as Blob (judging by how the floor seemed almost to whimper as he walked), leaned against the doorframe.

"She probably knocked him out…I always knew she was crazy. They suit each other."

Betsy raised an arm and, without opening her eyes, sent a low-powered psionic disc at him and, as Blob crashed into Toad on his way to visit the floor, John spoke.

"Too right, mate!"

Betsy turned, John's arms still around her, to face him.

"Did I make you miss your 'toons, Pyro?"

John tipped her a wink.

"Didn't want to wake _my_ sheila," he said, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge her.

Betsy laughed and sat up, stretching her lithe form.

"I'll let it slip this time, Allderdyce," she said, waggling her finger threateningly, "but as punishment, I'm getting up."

John went to his last resort…turning into Remy.

"Ya wound me, cherry!"

"Cherry?"

"Churie…?" slurred John, concentrating hard.

Betsy turned and started to walking out of the room, swaying her hips.

"Cheŕe?"

Betsy turned in surprise, but now Remy was in the doorway now, resting his foot casually on the Blob's stomach, while he snored peacefully.

"Remy was at da big party las' night."

Betsy tensed and waited for him to continue.

"And da magnet-man ain't happy. He sent ya here to keep ya out of trouble, not get in it."

Betsy vented her frustration, snapping back angrily.

"Well maybe the boss-man should come down and give us his own scolding. This isn't right, Gambit. He's treating us like kids…John and me have been bloody well put in school and you are playing messenger boy. What's going on?"

Remy's handsome face twisted into a scowl, which twitched as John stumbled in, wearing black boxers and a red blanket as a cape.

"That's not fair, mate…tell Bets the truth."

In an instant, Remy's telltale grin was back.

"We be going to a new base. Now."

Betsy's face lit up and she jumped at Remy, planting a kiss on the side of his face. Remy had started back, as if afraid he'd end up lying on top of Blob snoozing, but leered appropriately instead.

"Oi!"

Betsy turned and gave John a kiss…ahem…a little more intimately than Remy's though.

"C'mon Red Riding Hood, get changed!"

Betsy's excitement dropped the moment that glaring sun flashed off the metal sphere's interior.

"Nothing like sun and sand…" she muttered to herself disappointedly.

There was plenty of sun…and more than enough sand. I mean…the middle of the Saharan desert was nothing but sand.

"It's good to see you, Betsy."

"Piotre! What a pleasant surprise…fancy seeing you in the middle of nowhere," teased Betsy.

"Petey!" yelled Pyro, punching him in the arm, a little too hard. "Ouch! You got metal unda ya skin too?"

"No John. I have been working out."

The Russian's eyes gleamed with suppressed mirth and he flexed a bicep as Betsy feigned a swoon. Colossus may have despised Magneto and his cause, but Betsy, John and even Remy made it bearable. He knew they all followed Magneto for reasons, other than his cause, but he still didn't know why Betsy stayed.

'Perhaps,' he thought to himself and of his own situation, 'he has her family involved.'

(3)

"Welcome Acolytes. This is the Desert M base."

Remy snickered as Betsy muttered 'Original much?' The old base had been called the Island M base- see the connection?

"Viktor, be so kind as to distribute the folders."

Viktor Creed- Sabretooth- growled and stood.

"Thank you, sir," John and Betsy murmured – having been often lectured on manners during their brief stint in school- much to Magneto's confusion.

"Hmmm…You will study the information provided thoroughly. It is information on our dear X-Men, courtesy of Mystique. We will be making a move on a government base- I believe it to be yet another extension of the Hydra program."

Betsy looked up sharply.

"We are likely to meet resistance from the X-Men. Thy must not know our purpose and you shall hold them off, while I make my own arrangements. Sabretooth will lead you into battle."

The animalistic man grinned in a most intimidating manner.

"Suit up," he sneered.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15: That is so totally hot!**

-- Evan's boring so I've decided he lives in the sewers now…yay!—

Storm, Logan, Scott, Jean, Rogue, Kitty, Kurt and Sarah, please mobilize and meet me at the Blackbird…and you too Bobby.

There was a mental and verbal shout of glee, as the X-Men suited up.

"X-Men, Cerebro has detected four mutants moving in on a government agency. They are Gambit, Pyro, Psylocke and Sabretooth; I have reason to believe Magneto may be with him, but undetectable. I don't know what their mission is, but it must be stopped. Stop and, if possible, detain them. However, if the military become too involved, you must retreat. Good luck."

(3)

"Oh yeah," said Psylocke producing twin blades. Her favourite kind of weapon for her favourite kind of battle. Fight anyone in her way until she heard the big 'boom!'

Gambit whistled in appreciation.

"Dat's even better dan your leather, chere!"

"Shut it, Gambit," Psylocke said good-naturedly while, as an afterthought, she tied her purple bandanna across her face.

She was wearing her new outfit. Her new _spandex_ outfit.

Gambit and Pyro drooled, while Colossus politely averted his eyes.

It was all in blue. The spandex wrapped around her figure like a shimmering, second skin. Although the main piece of the "uniform" was like a one piece swimsuit with a turtle-neck top, her whole outfit showed surprisingly little skin. She wore thigh-high 'I can't believe it's not leather!' boots, which ribboned around to her torso. She had gloves to the same effect.

"What?" she said innocently, quirking an eyebrow.

"That is an interesting uniform, Psylocke," stated Colossus bluntly.

"Oh…" she said, as if coming to a realization. "It's not like you guys haven't seen a girl in spandex before. I just had mine…_stylized_. Besides," she continues with a grin, "this outfit is my secret weapon. I'm wearing the ol' ninja suit on top."

Before Pyro could even voice what was undoubtedly a long, obnoxious protest, Sabretooth growled.

"Company."

(3)

"Everybody out. I will bring the Blackbird down at a safe distance from the fight."

"Doesn't look like much of a fight, 'Ro," growled Logan, spotting the group on the ground below.

"They're just like standing there- and I think Bets-Psylocke," she quickly changed her words, "is getting changed."

"Veally?"

"That's it. Something's definitely going on down there. Acolytes don't land near a government base for no reason. Alright team, move out!" ordered Scott.

(3)

The four Acolytes watched it casually and Sabretooth _actually_ clawed a tree- the way you see your cat do it, right before it scratches you.

"So, are we gonna do something or wait till the X-Men come over and join us for our little picnic?"

Sabretooth took charge.

"Gambit get some explosions going. Pyro I want enough flame so that all the soldiers come runnin' here. Psy' and tin-man keep the X-Men busy while I deal with th'runt."

"I love it when you take charge like that, Big Cat," Psylocke said teasingly, hands glowing as Pyro cackled manically as plume of fire lit up the sky.

Gambit shrugged and, mysteriously manifesting two cards, sent them spinning into the brightly lit gate of the base, where, for a few moments, they glowed, before blowing up, sending cement shrapnel everywhere.

On cue, red lights flashed and the horribly calm female voice began.

"Main gate has been breached. Please be o-"

Emergency voice was silenced as a purple psionic disc went straight through the megaphone, causing it to explode. Soldiers began to pour out of the facility, running like ants.

Hands still glowing, she began to throw spikes of power into the mass of soldiers. It was too slow to send individual discs in, but the spikes were sufficient to send at least debilitating cramps and rendered the limb incapable.

(i)

Meanwhile, Pyro was perhaps a little entranced by his own light show, as he created flaming bats which swooped haphazardly, sending soldiers ducking for cover. The fire reflected in his eyes as he directed the flame throwers at the oncoming soldiers.

The soldiers screamed in terror and fell back, as if hoping to avoid the oncoming waves of fire. The flames flickered backwards, so Pyro could examine his damage, but the men were still on the ground, staring shocked.

"Don't play with fire," said Jean Grey serenely, levitating from behind.

The rest of the X-Men followed suit- well, not levitating- but doing their heroic walk in scene.

"GO X-MEN!" yelled Cyclops, blasting at Sabretooth.

"Move it, Cyc! I'm on him!" growled Wolverine, pushing Cyclops out of the way to tackle Sabretooth as he started forward.

"You're mine, runt!" yelled Sabretooth, as he was thrust into the ground.

The larger man kicked Wolverine off him and dived at him, slashing wildly.

Leave them, Scott! sent Jean, pointing to where Pyro was involved in melting the fence.

Gambit was enjoying throwing charged cards into the groups of soldiers and, as they struggled to regroup, throwing them seemingly haphazardly.

Psylocke heard Jean's mental command and sent a psionic disc out at her and another at Cyclops. Unaware of her own danger, she diverted the threat to Scott and gave a cry of surprise as she dropped out of the air.

"Jean!"

"I've got her!" cried Kurt, _bamfing_ into the air, and back onto the ground.

"Kitty and Sarah, disable the flamethrower!"

"I'm on it!"

(3)

Sarah didn't reply, because –you see- Sarah, or plain X, had hit the ground and made a bee-line straight for Psylocke. Seeing her send purple discs at the team leaders, she tackled her.

"Traitor," she hissed as she pinned the older- but physically weaker- girl against the ground.

"I'm just misunderstood," Psylocke said back, imitating Sabretooth's move and bringing her knees to her chest and kicking Sarah off her.

It was remarkable how much Sarah and Wolverine fought alike, but Psylocke had picked up some tricks in training with Creed. She created two psionic claws on each hand and another protruded from her foot.

"Shall we dance?"

"My pleasure, sister," snarled Sarah, revealing her own claws.

X struck first, already angry. Anger wasn't a good thing when fighting; in fact, that was one thing that Hydra was meant to have quashed from her. The ideal fighter was cool and calculating.

The claws aimed to slash across Psylocke's stomach, but she dropped and did a backwards roll, then launched like a one-hundred metre sprinter back at her. They crossed claws as Psylocke used her momentum to push the younger girl back. Now Psylocke had the advantage and pressed her claws close to X's face, bathing them in purple light. However, she had, as always, underestimated her opponent, as, in an underhanded trick (probably picked up from Logan, the bastard!) she smashed her face into Psylocke's. Psylocke had turned her face, so that X's blow merely hit her a glancing blow to the cheek. For a moment, red filled her vision as she gave a cry of pain.

X rolled, using this to her advantage, as the girls parted, reassessing one another.

They clashed once more, the adamantium hitting the psionic claws with a slight bouncing sound.

"Ha!" exclaimed Psylocke, as her psionic claws swiped through X's right shoulder.

If she had kept it at adamantium power levels, X's arm would be hanging from a thread, but Psylocke didn't want to de-claw her charge, especially seeing as she didn't no the truth. X stepped backwards, as lancing pain came from the muscles in her arm. The blades had been enough to disrupt her nervous system, so that she could barely move her arm without experiencing needling pain. In defense, X remembered her foot blade and kicked out at the stomach of Psylocke. It sliced through the loose folds of fabric, through the oh-so alluring tight spandex, to slice- not deeply, but enough for a sudden blood flow- into the flesh of her side.

"Ouch," she said, examining the red on her fingers. "Let's play my way now."

Psylocke summoned her long, psionic blades, which whistled as it sliced through the air and into the dirt, where Sarah had just been lying.

(3)

"I'm sorry. I do not wish to hurt you."

Piotre stood, guarding the pyromaniac's back, dwarfing the small Kitty Pryde, who habitually, forgot her powers. Sure, she was also checking out the muscle bound Russian, but she was on a mission.

"Eep!"

Piotre's face was somber as he let his body encase itself in a metal skin, effectively becoming Colossus. He took a step forward, more to intimidate the young girl, than actually move to hurt her.

"Kitty, you _dumpkof_, phase!" yelled Kurt as he bamfed nearby, holding an evidently unconscious soldier, who he ported somewhere safe.

'Well, duh!' Kitty suddenly thought to herself, and dived through Colossus's chest…his muscle-bound, shining chest, trying to phase her hands through the flamethrower.

"Wow, Logan!" she cried out, as her shredded professor grappled with Sabretooth, before being thrown at Kitty.

Kitty phased through Logan, but was slammed into the ground as Sabretooth bowled her over, rushing at Logan, bearing his teeth and roaring. Kitty instinctively stuck out her arm, to take the fall, and yelped in agony as she jarred it.

She gave another cry as Colossus leaned over her. She closed her eyes tight, losing the concentration to phase, as strong hands gripped and pulled her up. There was a vague sensation of movement and, before Kitty could entertain the notion that she wasn't going to be crushed like a bug, she found herself deposited behind a thick tree, away from the fighting and Colossus – her enemy, her rescuer- striding back into battle.

(3)

"Learnt a few tricks, have you?" panted Psylocke, circling X.

Both girls were exhausted. They had chased one another around the battlefield, while defending themselves from the soldiers. Seeing the mutants preoccupied, they had regrouped and were now firing at the mutants, seeing that they were busy. Psylocke had conceded to using her blades as a physical force, to send X flying, but without breaking the skin. Unlike Psylocke, X wasn't unwilling to spill blood.

"Likewise," she said coldly, grimacing as a cut along her face knit itself up, followed by the brief sense of dizziness and disorientation.

A volley of fire was heard and Psylocke jumped forward, pushing X into the ground with her weight, and bowing her head as bullets tore through the air above them, sending her violet hair fluttering. Her body seized as a bullet buried itself into her left leg.

X pushed Psylocke off her onto the ground, where she scrambled for purchase as her leg buckled underneath her.

"Why would you do that?" Sarah demanded.

"Never mind," she said faintly, "get your team out of here- there are helicopters coming with big missiles. Very big missiles."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen: Boom!**

--Just a brief explanation of what the Acolytes were doing outside the base and Magneto's private mission. Enjoy!--

Then there had been the explosion.

There was a flash of blinding light and the battlefield was almost eerily silent. The ground had rumbled and a sphere of burning light expanded in slow motion, before rapidly imploding to a mere pinprick of light. The roar was deafening as shrapnel blew outwards, slicing through the forest and the bodies of those, who hadn't had the wits to hit the ground fast.

In the din, five metal spheres had descended.

(3)

Magneto had sent the Acolytes in as a distraction. He and Mystique had entered the facility alone, using Mystique's powers to dupe the security systems.

The facility had been a mutant research one. Another branch of the 'solution to the mutant problem' studies. That it had labeled as such struck great anger to Magneto. Obviously, this 'solution' would be the final one- albeit directed against mutants. He would not allow it to occur again; he would strike first, using the government's own tools of destruction.

He had taken those files and plans he desired, before dropping off a little gift he'd invented.

Let's just say that he didn't expect the explosion to be THAT big.

(3)

The dust hung in the air, rents torn in it. The trees had been flattened and the only sounds were those of sobbing and a single voice calling out a name.

Most of the X-Men had escaped unscathed, having already been making for the Blackbird. Logan and Sarah had been caught in it, but their injuries would only last for no more than a couple of hours. Kitty, slowed by her injury, would have suffered a less-lucky fate, if not for her phasing ability.

"Sheila?" screamed John, sending a serpentine jet of flame around him.

"Remy?" called out Piotre.

Sabretooth growled. He could smell their blood, but whether they'd survived or not, they had to leave.

"Let's go," he growled.

John looked surprisingly lost and shook his head mutely.

"Big man, get him in."

Colossus, gently but insistently, herded John into a metal sphere. How does an insane man (or perhaps boy) deal with loss? Although Piotre's fears for all his team-mates, bar Sabretooth, were grave, he believed that his friends had survived. He cast a last regretful look around the battlefield and stepped into his transport orb.

The final two orbs lay open expectantly, but seemed to resign themselves to the fact that their occupants were not coming. Five orbs and three Acolytes left.

(3)

Remy had made straight for John and Piotre, having seen Psylocke engaged in battle. He had told Piotre of Magneto's little surprise and asked him to keep John close. In the distance, he could see five shining points of steel and he pushed John into Piotre. Piotre understood and held John, while John kept on cackling and throwing flaming balls seemingly haphazardly.

He didn't tell Sabretooth, as he'd heal easily and a bit of excruciating pain never hurt anyone. Besides, Sabretooth was the one most likely to know of the true extent of the explosion, being in Magneto's privy. He turned to look for Betsy as the light seared his sensitive eyes; they burnt his retinas and everything turned white as he stumbled back.

Logan had seen Gambit stumble back, blinded. Swearing to himself, he pushed himself off the ground to tackle the kid down, just as the shockwave hit.

Psylocke and X had been scooped up easily in the explosion. Psylocke hit a thick tree trunk and saw only darkness. X's adamantium frame broke through several trees, before slamming into the ground.

(3)

"Stupid kid," he heard a rough voice say. "What do we do with 'im?"

"Leave tha' swamp rat. He'll be as good as new soon."

"Chuck'd have something t'say bout that."

"Rogue?" Gambit rasped out, a little confused. Where were the others? Had they escaped?

Light still danced above him and he could see only two vague silhouettes, standing unbelievably tall above him.

"That's ya name, Stripes," Logan pointed out. "You claim him."

"Dammit, Logan!" Rogue cursed, kicking the grounded Cajun in the side. "Move it, Remy, ya comin' with us."

"I can't see ya, chere…" he whined plaintively with a degree of panic.

Sighing, Rogue helped him up.

"Remembah Cajun, you're mah prisoner, so no funny business, ya hear?"

Remy was silent for a moment, not moving until Rogue demanded what his problem was.

"Y'mean ya not gonna handcuff Remy, _officier_?"

(3)

"She's around here…very close," murmured Jean.

She and Kurt were searching for Sarah.

"Is zat her?" exclaimed Kurt, porting to a prone figure in the dust.

He flipped her over.

"Nein!" he squeaked, seeing Betsy's bloodied face.

"She's still alive," said Jean, laying two fingers against her pulse.

"_Bonjour Miseur_," she suddenly said with a high-pitched giggle, her eyes fluttering open before lapsing back into unconsciousness.

"Teehee," giggle Kurt. "And she's been knocked silly!"

"Take her with us," a husky voice said.

Sarah stepped over a broken log. Her uniform was in shreds, but most of her injuries were already healing.

Kurt looked at her quizzically, but quickly ported Betsy to the Blackbird.

'I should kill her…kill the enemy. I should save her…save my sister…'

Jean caught the girl's thought and lead her back to the Blackbird in silence. She wondered what the Professor would think of them having taken an Acolyte back to the Institute.

'Or two,' she thought to herself, seeing Remy clinging to Rogue, thoroughly enjoying himself.


	17. Chapter 17

Sorry guys! I haven't updated for ages, because a) I had writer's block (for all my assignments too, so I've been catching up) and b) my brother bought World of Warcraft...darn it...it helps me procrastinate so much! Anyway, perhaps a longer chapter will earn your love again...still thinking of an ultimate purpose to the story instead of jerking my characters' pitiful lovelives around..R&R...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the black came the red. The bit of Betsy's brain that didn't feel like it had been stomped on wondered why. Perhaps Creed had knocked her out after she called him Vicky-poo one too many times at training…or she'd fallen asleep and John had let an elephant into her room…she wouldn't put it past him. Well, whatever it is, it felt as if she'd been hit in the head by a sledgehammer- make that multiple time.

Using her training, she passed the pain aside and, instead, focussed on her surroundings. She thought it best to imitate sleep or unconsciousness. She heard a beeping sound. Quite familiar. A heart monitor. For a second, she thought that Hydra had her back and had given her drugs, just to keep her compliant. The beeping of heart monitor quickened and she willed herself to calm.

"You may open your eyes if you wish, but I warn you: the light won't help your headache. You did suffer quite a bump, in addition to your other injuries."

Betsy's eyes flipped open and immediately shut again, white dots dancing across her retina. Hospital, or perhaps lab light. A blue face above her. Blue mutants…certainly not Mystique- unless she'd taken to being a guy, when not in a human guise. Kurt- no, his voice hadn't deepened that quickly. Blue mutants…

"So, Mr McKoy- or Beast, is it- who else did you capture?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Piotre slipped another sidelong glance at his Australian friend. St John had been acting crazy. No, not the friendly crazy, Johnny-boy everyone loved, who would claim he was God's confidant and knew what Magsy did last summer…but a morose mutant, like the person, who eventually climbs to the top of a tower with a sniper rifle…or perhaps a flame thrower. Pyro was a ticking time bomb, chock full of combustible fun. At the moment, he was entranced by the flicker of flame from his lighter.

The flame twirled then dance onto the already scorched countertop. It formed two miniature Acolytes: Betsy and Remy. He had them do a few little cartwheels for the hell of it, then sent a little mini Pyro to join them. The flaming Pyro and Betsy attacked Remy, who promptly exploded.

Pyro cackled insanely as he toppled from view, landing with a heavy thump onto the metal, tiled floor.

"Comrade!" exclaimed Piotre, slightly alarmed.

John reappeared, foreign lines worn into his face.

"They're gone," he stated bluntly, observing the three new scorch marks on the counter.

He had lapsed into his sullen mood. He slumped as he sat on the next stool down, not bothering to pick up the first one he'd fallen off. This was bad…

"Da," affirmed Piotre carefully, "but we will get them back."

Piotre had last seen Betsy grappling with a heavily-armed X-Man and Remy fighting (that is, sparring) with another. Of the team, Gambit and Psylocke could look after themselves. However, he had seen the Cajun tackled to the ground, moments after the bright flash of light, but before the shockwaves. Magneto should've warned them. Gambit had done some "research" to find out about it…the kind of research that had one buried by his own employer. But, chances were the X-Men had picked them up, if they had been injured. It was the way the X-Men were.

Piotre smiled ruefully with himself.

'I'd rather be there,' he thought.

He could even see himself training there, eating there, learning English from the brown-haired girl from the battle. Everyone needed English, right? He shook his head. Wishful thinking.

He strode to the phone. Magneto didn't seem particularly interested in his employees' whereabouts; he had other things to do.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"MINE!" Jubilee screamed, bolting for the ringing phone.

"No ye' don't, lassy!" grinned Rahne, stretching her arms across the door. "I think it's for you," she continued, nodding at the pale Kitty.

'Please. Please. Please. Please,' she begged in her mind. 'Please be Lance.'

Kitty and Lance had been on and off for a while now. Lance would do wrong, but Kitty had an infallible belief that Lance could become be everything she wanted. But, last night, he had given her a gift…a gift which looked mysteriously like a necklace stolen from a recently broken window at the mall's jewellery shop. On confronting him, Lance had yelled that he'd never be good enough for her and, to make matters worse, his anger had triggered his powers and the mall had started falling apart. She had, in panic, phased him halfway into the floor and left him there. She hadn't seen him since.

Now she was hoping for an apology…or the chance to give him one.

She phased through the floor and into Kurt.

"Eeew!"

Kurt yelped and ported and Kitty picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Kitty inquired, in a breathless, hopeful voice.

There was a small silence.

"Hello. Is this the X-Men?"

Kitty took a sharp breath. There was no mistaking that deep voice, thickly accented. Suddenly, she no longer cared that it hadn't been Lance.

"Oh, hi! Yeah, this is the Institute! Is this like Colossus?"

"Yes. I am called Colossus, but you can call me Piotre," he replied, followed by a tentative silence. "Is this Shadow cat?"

Kitty did the slightest of twirls. He remembered her!

"Only on missions. You can call me Kitty- all my friends do," she said, beginning to twirl a strand of hair around her fingers.

"Ah, Keety then-" Kitty giggled at the mispronunciation, "-I am calling to speak to your Professor Xavier."

"Oh, yeah sure! Is this about Gambit and Be-Psylocke? They are totally hogging the Medilab."

"That is a relief then."

"That they're hogging the Medilab? I mean, Gambit's not even sick or injured! And can't you take Psylocke- I mean she's the enemy and everything now!"

Kitty cringed inwardly. Piotre- no, Colossus- was the enemy too. She forced herself to avoid Betsy, who she had once been quite close to, so as not to fall into the same trap as with Lance. Make a friend (or more, but that wasn't likely with Betsy unless I get reviews begging for it) then end up on different teams.

Piotre's voice was, if anything, more expressionless.

"Thank you, Shadowcat. Please be so kind as to inform your professor that we shall pick them up immediately."

The line went dead and Kitty sighed sadly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I have news for the two of you," Mr McKoy said, as he had Betsy flex her healing knee- both Acolytes had been remarkably quick healing injuries.

Remy leaned in the doorway, ogling her bared leg. Over the doctor's shoulder, Betsy pointed her bare foot at him.

"Stop it," she ordered regally.

The blue mutant chuckled. He found it hard to see such likeable young people as enemies…perhaps it came from years of teaching. Betsy, too, didn't seem to view the X-Men as enemies. However, the feeling wasn't mutual.

Kitty had ignored her, when she'd come down into the Medilab to have her jarred wrist inspected and Kurt, who brought down her meals, would simply port straight out. Of Sarah, she'd seen nothing, but she had already disabled the room's camera with a carefully shot disc. She'd laughed so hard, when she heard that the team had come down fully suited up, as if to stop her from bringing down the base. She'd been asleep by that time.

"To my knowledge," Hank continued, "a certain Colossus called seeking the two of you out."

"See, da hommes didn't f'get us, petite," said Remy, shoving Betsy slightly out of the way to sit on her bed.

"And furthermore, Charles earlier detected two familiar mutant signatures on Cerebro. Would you guess who they were?"

"Magsy," said Betsy, nodding assuredly.

"Creed," agreed Remy, nodding too.

'Hank, please inform your patients that Pyro and Colossus are at the gate,' echoed Xavier's thought, as he withdrew from his friend's mind.

"Magneto and Sabretooth? I think not. I've been informed that Pyro and Colossus are at the gate."


	18. Chapter 18

The two older mutants looked somewhat out of place, standing at the tall iron gates of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters. Piotre removed his finger from the small button, which connected the gate to the mansion and, almost ominously, an electrical camera whirred to catch the two Acolytes in its range. Xavier and Logan, who were watching the scene from the control room, found it somewhat odd.

Piotre stood, straight as always, staring up at the mansion. Although Xavier normally held himself above such acts, he quickly scanned what was foremost in their thoughts- purely to see whether they meant harm or not, of course. Piotre was examining the scene, picturing how he might paint it…somehow, he might paint Shadowcat there. In the crook of his elbow, he held a bunch of flowers- pink tulips.

"What's with the flowers, Pete?" St John said, grinning at his friend. "You gonna give them to Wolvie?"

Piotre scowled.

"I am going to give them to the doctor, who has looked after Remy and Betsy," he said sincerely, but the two spots of colour on his cheeks betrayed him. "As a token of gratitude…" he finished lamely.

"Right-o, mate," John replied, not looking convinced.

Xavier caught another glimpse of Piotre's mind and was surprised. It was a memory not a thought. Piotre was staring at a picture, one he had painted. It was Kitty, as he had seen her at the last battle. Bright blue eyes slightly widened and surprised, arms wrapped around her knees as she had stared up at Piotre, as if she expected him to hurt her. She was, however, neither injured nor on a battlefield- she was sitting in a field of flowers. Of course, Piotre intended to give her the flowers…an 'innocent' gift.

"Just keep watch," Piotre said absent-mindedly, as John opened his mouth again, possibly about to suggest who else the flowers were intended for.

John looked around suspiciously, as if expecting a foe to suddenly leap out of the bushes…come to think of it, had he just seen one of the dense shrubs shake slightly? Was it the sound of leaves rubbing together…or a stifled laugh? No-one laughed at Pyro…without being punished.

Sensing potential danger, Xavier sighed and turned to Logan.

"Send down an escort for those young men," he said. "Oh, and I suggest we leave Scott out of this. We don't want too much damage to the grounds."

(o0) 

Betsy slipped out of the bed, surprising the doctor. She tested her weight on her 'injured' leg and, finding its support satisfactory, walked perfectly normally to where Remy was standing.

"Elizabeth, you should not be walking on that leg!" he exclaimed, making as if to grab a wheelchair.

"It's fine," she replied, raising an eyebrow.

As if to prove her point, she did a light hand spring…

"Cheri, dat just proves dat your wrists are okay," Remy stated bluntly, but grinned at the doctor's surprise.

"Uh-huh," Betsy agreed. "How's this?"

She lunged forward, leg kicking outwards, as if to strike Remy's chest. Instead, she stopped abruptly, holding her leg high in the air, inches from Remy's chest.

"Alright, it's better…" Hank muttered, not wanting an impromptu session of sparring to start.

"Oui…" Remy agreed, grabbing her ankle in one hand, "a much better view."

Betsy narrowed her eyes, then shoved her foot forwards, pushing Remy backwards, as she whipped her foot away from him. Remy staggered backwards, but abruptly straightened up, regaining his slouched composure. His eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Yep…your much betta, fille."

Betsy wrinkled her nose in apparent disgust.

"Don't you go all French on me, Mista Le Beau."

Hank watched the discourse with a bemused expression. It also made him incredibly sad. Why would two young people, so joyful and full of life, join with Magneto? He had seen similar scenarios before, as a teacher. Good kids doing bad things…and almost inevitably bad things would happen to them. He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts- but he still couldn't come to think of the youngsters as enemies. Betsy turned to smile at the blue doctor, about to suggest they leave. Catching the uneasiness and infinite regret, coursing through him, she hesitantly patted his hulking shoulder.

"I think it's time for us to go."

Hank smiled and replied, "Ah yes, of course. No wheelchair? Then we shall carry on by foot!"

(o0) 

The shrub seemed to quake under St John's intense scrutiny. John's lighter had come out and he held it threateningly, glaring at the bush with as much menace as he could muster.

"No-one laughs at me…" he hissed, the lighter flicking open, revealing the short flame.

Piotre glanced his way.

"Don't…" he said warningly.

John advanced on the bush, eyes reflecting the flame. The dancing heat suddenly flared, forming a serpentine rope, which coiled around the bush. The leaves began to smoke slightly. John yelped in surprise as the lighter jerked out of his grasp, cutting off his flame. The bush shuddered in relief and a chipmunk scurried out, very much alarmed.

"Don't," Jean restated, looking dispassionately at St John, hand held open as the lighter floated towards her.

Amara snagged it out of the air as it floated past. Jean shot her a look, but Amara shrugged and grinned at Kitty, who seemed to be rendered speechless and immobile. Jubilee, who had tagged along, looked up Piotre and John, assessing, and nodded in approval.

"We are here to escort you into the Mansion," she declared, with a flourishing bow.

"Can it, firecracker," Wolverine said, his rather stubby figure appearing from Jean's mysteriously oddly-incredibly tall figure. "Me'n'Red are in charge of this mission."

Jubille rolled her eyes.

"Woo-hoo…my first mission! Escort up the driveway!" she said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

Intercepting Logan's killer glare, she went to stand meekly by the now blushing and rapidly fidgeting Kitty, who looked very much like she would like to sink into the ground. In fact, Kitty was asking herself why she didn't.

"The Professor has said that you might enter the grounds, but not the mansion, to pick up your- 'friends'," Jean said, her pausing immaculate. "Any use of your powers will react in direct retaliation against you- and I must warn you," she added rather nastily, "we may not have any huge explosives hidden on the grounds, but we won't be defeated."

John nodded, looking at the redhead in interest. He thought that he got along well with her…oh wait…there it was. He ditched her at the dance, never called her again then attacked her and her team mates. Right.

Logan grunted, signalling the need to move on. Jean lead the way, Logan watched the rear and Amara took the side by Pyro and Kitty stood close (but, of course, not _too_ close) to Piotre. Jubilee could cut the tension there with a knife, so (and, of course, close _enough_) she went to stand by Kitty.

"Sheila…." John whined and, to his infinite pleasure, saw annoyance flit across the younger girl's honey-toned face. "Shelia…" he said, adding a little more height to his voice. "Gimme back me lighter."

A muscle by Amara's right eye twitched slightly. 'I am a princess of my people,' she told herself, sternly. 'No- I am a queen. Dignity. Control.' She assumed the stiffest of smiles, which looked more like a well-concealed grimace. 'Control.'

"Shei-laaaa…" John repeated, his voice steadily becoming rather high-pitched. "Give 'er back. I need her!"

The muscle twitched again. Amara suddenly started to feel rather angry.

"Why?" she snapped.

"She's my baby. She's my flame!" John said, almost shocked.

Amara knew that the lighter somehow produced fire…not that that was anything special. She didn't know how to use it, however. St John still seemed to have his piece to say.

"Without her, I am powerless! She makes fire…which can destroy anything…dancing flames, smoke in the blue sky, burning…burning everything…so much power…such beauty…"

Logan growled menacingly. He didn't like the faraway look in the Acolyte's eyes, which had locked with Amara's, and seemed to dance with inner fire. He _especially_ didn't like the answering flame in the young princess's eyes. He didn't want a firestorm on the mansion's steps. They were almost at the stairs by now, when he called a halt, standing by the fountain. Kitty went to sit on the fountain edge and Piotre looked nervously towards her, large hand crushing the flower stalks. He considered whether to approach her, but the other one- Firecracker, was it?- zipped over to her. Meanwhile, Amara was hovering near St John, still clutching his beloved lighter.

"Really?" Amara queried, a tentative smile upon her lips and her interest renewed.

"Huh?" John replied in confusion.

"Did you mean what you said about fire…being beautiful and powerful…and destructive?"

"Course, sheila!" John said in a detached voice. "But a little girl like you shouldn't play with fire, so how 'bout you hand the lighter over, little sheila?"

Amara flushed and she felt her blood heating up. 'Control, Princess.'

"I'm not a little girl," she said almost quietly.

Jubilee watched with detached interest.

"Think there's gonna be a fire?" Kitty said, with a nervous giggle, flashing a glance at the silent Piotre, but directing her question to her friend.

"Well, I see sparks, but no flame down this end," Jubilee, said, flashing Kitty an annoyed glance. "So, what's up with you and tall, dark and silent?"

Kitty choked, as Piotre cocked his head, ever so slightly, as if looking in the distance. Her paranoia seemed to pay testament as to the fact that there WAS something up with 'tall, dark and silent'. Piotre was merely looking to a distant wood, wondering whether it was part of the mansion.

"Nothing!" she hissed. "Nothing's going on!"

"True," Jubilee said, raising an eyebrow. "Why won't he take his eyes off you? What's with all the little glances and eyelash fluttering going on?"

"I am not fluttering my eyelashes!" Kitty hissed back.

She paused.

"He was looking at me?" she said, sounding somewhat hopeful.

"Uh-huh, girl! He was like totally undressing you with his eyes!"

She took note of the deep blush on Kitty's cheeks and decided to change tact.

"But look at him- he's hideous. You're right…nothing to see there. He's probably a jerk too."

"Hideous!" Kitty said, puffing her small form up; Piotre heard the small girl's outburst and began to eavesdrop- slightly guiltily. "He is not! Look at him! All muscle-bound…dark hair…and he's so sweet. He totally saved my ass at the fight."

"And we know he certainly wants a piece of that," Jubilee couldn't help but say.

"Jubilation Lee!"

This burst of indignation, however, was entirely overshadowed by the young princess's own burst of anger.

"I am not a sheila!" she yelled at St John.

"Sure, ya are…unless…you're a bloke?" he said, looking at her appraisingly.

Heat was now radiating off Amara and, around her feet, the grass began to wilt. Her face was now glowing red- not with blush, but with inner light. Explosion was imminent. Everyone could see that…except for John. Piotre, showing surprising speed, dashed to the fountain and pulled the two girls behind him, as his form became coated in metal. Logan, against his will, was pulled back behind Jean, as she used her telekinesis to form a shield around them.

Enter: Princess Amara, with a form as scorching as her temper. In other words: the yelling was loud and she was so angry that her body burst into flames, sending fire scattering everywhere.

"I AM NOT A LITTLE GIRL! I AM NOT A SHEILA! I AM SURE NOT A BLOKE! I AM PRINCESS AMARA AQUILLA AND YOU SHALL RESPECT ME, COMMONER!"

As sudden as the outburst had come to life, it ebbed away.

"Oops…I killed your flame," Amara said, hanging her head with embarrassment, holding out a small, hardened puddle of metal…formerly John's baby.

The grass around her was entirely burnt and flames still flickered around the edges of that scorched circle. Amara winced…Storm hated it when she scorched the grass. Feeling fingers on her chin, she looked up. St John was incredibly close and her gaze was directed to his other hand…he was holding raw flame- the seed of her power.

"No…you created it…" he said, in an awestruck tone, leaning forward towards her face.

Amara's pulse quickened…was this gonna be her first kiss? She leaned forward to receive it and felt John close enough to feel his own radiating heat when there was a roar of outrage.

John had a new goddess…a fire one (what else?). Wolverine had a target for his pent up rage…an Acolyte one (what else?).

Pyro found a hand firmly around the back of the neck as he was jerked backwards. Logan sank his fist into the boys stomach and, as the redhead dropped to the ground, kicked him in the side. His claws out, he advanced on the winded boy, who looked up in pained fear.

"You made the wrong, move bub."

(o0) 

"You are welcome to stay," Charles Xavier said hesitantly. "Both of you."

Remy and Betsy exchanged a look. Sure, it had been great 'recuperating' there…but to stay there wouldn't be right either. It seemed that the rest of the students had been resentful of them and the actual X-Men had been outright hateful. Not since she'd arrived, unconscious and bleeding, had their been any sign of concern. Kurt would port in with her meals and leave; Kitty had come to have her wrist tended to and left; hell, little "Sarah" X23 hadn't shown her face, even though Betsy had been careful enough to keep a suitably guilty face on…doubtless, X23 would have monitored her through the camera system. And Remy hadn't a care in the world that he wasn't welcome…after all, Rogue had come down to 'visit' him…despite her act, she didn't seem to hate the Cajun.

"I don't think so," Betsy said with a sad smile. "Besides, Magsy's probably getting lonely and no-one's feeding his kitty…"

Sabretooth wasn't the best in the kitchen; he had probably been eating roadkill lately. Xavier gave her an odd, asking look, but chose not to pursue what she meant by Magneto's cat.

"Remy's flattered and all, but he's on contract…" Remy said, somewhat reluctantly.

His expression changed, as he spied Rogue, leaning casually on the wall, as the metal elevator ground to a stop and opened.

"Heard your leavin', swamprat," she drawled, almost nonchalantly, looking down at her gloves.

"I think she means you," Betsy observed, grinning at Remy. "See ya around, Rogue."

"Later, Bets…"

Rogue, of all the X-Men, had at least acknowledged that they had once been friends. However, they hadn't seemed to be able to reconnect. It was almost ironic. Rogue found it difficult to be just a friend to an enemy…she was either no friend, or more than a friend. Or that's what Betsy had deduced from observing the two Southerners.

Xavier and Betsy tactfully turned away, heading outside. What Betsy saw there nearly broke her.


	19. Chapter 19

Betsy watched in the savage pleasure of a woman scorned, as John took a wheezing breath and collapsed to the ground, being met by the Wolverine's booted foot to the side of the ribcage. There was a sickening crack and St John grunted in pain Piotre gave a cry of equally pained shock as he moved forward to his friend's rescue, as Wolverine unsheathed his claws menacingly.

"Logan, no," came the strong command of Xavier- Logan, Jean and Betsy all flinched simultaneously, such was the horror and shock held in the message.

Logan growled angrily, before spitting to the side and pushing past Betsy and heading into the mansion. Almost immediately, Betsy felt his wave of regret and strong desire to get drunk. Even was she not a mutant empath, Betsy could have certainly empathised. She allowed cold eyes to sweep over the scene, aware that Xavier was shaking his head solemnly and apologising, offering to tend to the boy.

"I don't think so, Xavier," Betsy said, her voice monotone. "It's probably best that we leave now."

Ignoring the looks of the other X-Men and students of Xavier, she walked down the stairs, a barely evident limp noticeable and past to where Piotre stood.

"Pick that up," she said disgustedly, looking down at St John who looked up pleadingly at her. "And I think the flowers might need a little air," she said, more gently.

Piotre had, indeed, been tightly squeezing the pale pink flowers- their stems were bent and battered- beauty crushed. Sighing, he let them drop, leaning over to pick up the groaning Pyro.

"Where Is Gambit?" he said professionally, lifting the redhead up with absurd ease.

"He'll catch up," she said, tilting her head slightly, "when he wakes up. We'll be visiting the boys…and Scarlet."

As she said this, there was the sound of a thump from the entrance hall and Rogue stepped out. Her otherwise pale skin slightly flushed with embarrassment- or was it something else? She touched her lips then murmured something quietly.

"The Swamp Rat slipped," she said simply.

"A likely story," a young, Asian girl murmured to Kitty, with a barely concealed grin.

The tension almost broke- it could have, if Betsy had let it. Instead, she turned neatly on her heel and began to walk down the sloping driveway, trailed by Piotre, who looked forlornly back at the institute and his precious Kitty. Kitty, looking directly at him, saw the look of a lost puppy dog- torn between the one who had been with it since birth and a new owner, a caring, nurturing one. Those dark brown eyes, deep with longing, made her want to call him back. But she was quiet. She didn't bat an eyelash, nor did she move, until they passed the steel gates of the Institute. Only then, did she run to the spot he had stood and picked up the pale pink flowers- the stems were bent and they had wilted slightly. But they were sweet-scented and the petals soft and Kitty didn't care.

Piotre gently tumbled John onto the filthy couch, as Betsy surveyed the house. It had virtually fallen apart, since she'd last been there. It was that time of day when quiet morning moves onto the lazy noon. And, of course, being eleven o'clock on an Autumn morning, everyone was still asleep- apart from Wanda and Quicksilver, who had been quibbling good-naturedly in the kitchen when Betsy had arrived.

"Hey-Bets-Tin-Man," Pietro had acknowledged them, zipping in to stare at John. "You-two-had-a-fight?" he said laughing, looking at the bruised Pyro, who clutched his chest, while glaring angrily at the son of Magneto.

"Pyro fell," she lied. "And he's staying here while he recovers. And then he's staying here until further notice. Basically, he's staying here- from now on. Magneto has no need for him and he will only be getting in the way."

Pietro looked at her suspiciously.

"I talked to him last night. He didn't mention anything about this."

Betsy smiled at him, laying a reassuring hand on his bare wrist.

"He told me, Pietro. There is no need to further discuss this. John is here of his own will, but you have to look after him. He stays with you. Don't let him leave Bayville. Don't let him near Magneto. And, certainly, don't let him get too close to any of you," she murmured persuasively, her voice melodic, drifting sweetly through the air.

Wanda, Piotre and even John found themselves nodding in absolute agreement, but Pietro received the full brunt of Psylocke's persuasion. His glazed eyes cleared and he looked trustingly at her, before looking suspiciously at John.

"You heard the lady, you're moving in. Take Mystique's room- it's pretty big and pretty scorched. You should like it," he said, with unhealthy cheeriness.

Betsy smiled to herself, pleased with her handiwork. It was an amazing power, this control of minds. This thought was interrupted by a woozy Gambit, who stumbled into the room. Nonetheless, his wits were not dulled and he looked assessing around the room.

"We going now, petite?" he asked her, looking between her and John- obviously, the story had spread like 'wildfire' around the Mansion- or perhaps a 'slip' from Rogue.

"Yeah…Remy, you go get the Jeep goin'- you, Piotre and I are going home now."

'It's not my home,' came the fragments of thought- Betsy could not tell whether it was Piotre's thought or Remy's- or both of theirs.

"What about John?" Remy said, looking between them.

"I'm staying here. Magsy doesn't need me!" John said ecstatically, waving at the confused Cajun.

Remy, seeing the mechanical nodding of the rest of the mutants, looked angrily at Betsy.

"What'd you do to 'em?" he said, scowling. "Y'played with their heads, didn't ya?"

"I didn't, Remy," she murmured again, entrancing him. "You betray when you say that- even when you think that. Y'know that, don't you, Remy? I wouldn't do that to a team mate. Never."

Remy shook his head angrily, clearing his thoughts.

"Y'doing something to me, aren't you Psylocke. Y'tricks won't work with me, petite. I got m'own barriers-"

Betsy lunged forward at Remy and, predictably, he grabbed her bare wrist, turning her, so that her arm was bent awkwardly and he pinned her between his other arm and chest.

"What other strings ya been pullin', heh, Psylocke? Ya been puppeting Magneto, Piotre and John all dis time? Y'shouldn't have tried ya tricks on me, chere- Remy plays a whole different game," he snarled. "Who ya really workin' for? X-Men wouldn't accept a little vixen like you- who is it? Mystique? Frost?"

Betsy didn't recognise the second name, but that didn't matter.

"You think you're smart, don't you Cajun thief. I'll show you my game."

Betsy opened the floodgates of her powers, exerting total control over Remy. His pale barriers were swept away, as Betsy consumed his very thoughts. She altered his memories completely, utterly. Pyro had chosen to stay and he had agreed- Magneto had told him so himself.

"Start the car, Remy, please," Betsy said, withdrawing from his grasp and his mind.

"I don't have the keys, chere," Remy said teasingly and smiles went around the room.

Such was her power that she had virtually changed the past. After all, if no-one remembered, what evidence was there?

"You'll manage, I'm sure," Betsy said with an answering smile, sweet and cheeky once more.

But Betsy wasn't such a nice girl anymore.

Betsy chewed on her lip forlornly. Her hair was whipped into a frenzy by the sharp wind, which swept into the open-air Jeep. She didn't even respond when Remy- ever the gentleman- turned around completely, hands off the steering-wheel, to offer her his beloved trench coat. She didn't care to try to cheer up a slightly-confused looking Piotre, who had turned back to Bayville, as they drove off. He could just see Xavier's mansion, atop a green hill; he'd remember that image.

No, Betsy was entirely preoccupied with her own thoughts.

She had done something wrong. Very wrong.

She had abused her power- that was wrong enough in a sense. That she had used it against her own friends was what riled her…but then again…she didn't want John around…she had a feeling that she had spent too long with him anyway.

"Betsy!" her name, now exclaimed, brought her from her reverie.

"What?" she said sharply, glaring at Remy, who- since she became lost in thought- had apparently switched places with Piotre. He vaulted over the front seat and sat by her.

"Piotre told me 'bout Johnny," he said hesitantly. "It still eatin' ya, chere?"

The concern and sympathy in his eyes was heartbreaking. Betsy clutched at her opposite wrist, carefully schooling her face to neutrality. She gave a hint of a nod.

"Johnny…he ain't right for you anway. Remy's pretty sure that he ain't the type of guy for any fille…who's sane…" he continued softly. "He's like a kid, in a way…"

Betsy smiled as a thought crossed her mind…'St John the pyromaniacal man-child…' she thought.

"I know," she sighed, feeling the pain ease a little, then return twofold at the smile of sympathy on Remy's face. "You just look after yourself and holding onto your Rogue, right?"

"Remy knows what he's doing."

She saw him raise a hand and touch the back of his head. He probably hit the ground hard after that stolen kiss.

She closed her eyes, then opened them. She couldn't afford these emotions.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **Sorry to the Pyro fans…he's on hiatus for a while, but never fear: HE SHALL BE BACK- ONCE MORE PART OF THE MAIN STORYLINE. Ahem Anyway, Betsy and Co. return to the base and Magneto's grand plans begin to reveal themselves. Magneto begins to distrust Betsy, but not because of John's mysterious absence…this is about the time of Mystique's turn of alliance, away from Magneto. By the way, I am so totally warping the X-Men Evolution Timeline, as, for the purposes of this story, I want to use the events of Asteroid M and Melting Cauldron…whatever those couple of episodes were called. However, don't shy away- there will be a number of changes of alliance in this chappie and more to come. By the way, I'm starting to plan ahead…it's alright to kill Jean, right? I mean…she's like the Kenny from South Parks of Marvel…she always gets killed but keeps coming back! I totally stole that line off another comic character…

(0o)

Magneto looked critically as the three metallic pods lowered themselves gently onto the cold, desert sand. He had not approved of this 'mission', of sorts. He had clearly voiced his disapproval, remarking to Piotre that such an event could place others at risk. And that Piotre's priority should be helping to prepare for the next stage of his plans.

Piotre had paled, but had still insisted on going. And John…well, he was almost frothing at the mouth, a leashed dog that could turn and bite the hand of its owner, if not released. It was, of course, a risk to let the Acolytes leave. Magneto was left with only one protector- not that he needed one. But he had begun to exert all his time and energies to the completion of his new base. This plan could hardly fail…it was the next step to building the army, that he had begun with the recruitment of his pathetic generals, the Acolytes.

Three pods…one person was unaccounted for. Magneto hoped that it was Psylocke. Mystique, the treacherous, slithering snake, had abandoned him. Vital information had been stolen. Of course, Mystique would have few problems infiltrating the base and accessing the database- after all, she had been his ally and…- but, still, it seemed too _straight-forward_ for her. Magneto thought she had recruited a spy to trace his activities. Mystique had brought him Psylocke.

Psylocke was obviously not unskilled. She had exhibited ruthlessness in their War Room…her powers, if tapped, could be used for almost anything. She was a natural leader and worked well with the Acolytes; she had also managed, to some extent, to tame the Sabretooth. She was easy on the eye (although Magneto's eyes didn't often stray) and had easily enamoured the attention and affection of the other Acolytes.

And this was what made her the ideal spy for Mystique.

The metal capsules slid open with a neat clicking sound. Piotre loomed, as he stood up. Gambit shrugged the knots out of his shoulders. Psylocke stretched languidly, before making some wry comment to Gambit, who chuckled in reply. No Pyro.

Static pricked his skin and suit, as he floated through the air, a panel of the dome opening at his whim. The night desert winds, cold and dry, caught his cloak, which whirled around him. He stopped in mid-air, in front of the Acolytes.

"Where is Pyro?" he demanded imperiously, eyes gleaming from the shadow of his helmet.

A flicker of pain shot across Psylocke's face- an entirely genuine feeling. It well-concealed the pang of fear- Sabretooth would have scented it in moments and moved in, like a lion for the kill.

"St John'd be th'one staying with the Brotherhood," Remy said, affording Magneto a sweeping bow. "M'thinks there's a femme involved…or two."

Those last two moments had been said hesitantly, as Gambit's crimson eyes flickered to meet Betsy's dark ones, which narrowed in response.

"He's no longer trustworthy," she elucidated coolly. "He had been involved in a …_misalliance_ with one of the X-Men."

Now Betsy's dark eyes met Gambit's.

Gambit felt a wave of raw anger inside him. Misalliance? The look she had given him? It had been a look that threatened…a look that as much as said: 'That's enough. Speak further and then I spill on you and the Rogue, got that Cajun?' Gambit didn't respond well to threats. But Betsy had never moved him to anger before…not this kind of anger, anyway. It was a deep set feeling, which gave way to confusion. Some part of him told him something was deeply wrong…Betsy had done something…but what?

Betsy was unlike almost any female he'd met…and, at the same time, the same as every female, honed to deadly precision. It reminded him of his fiancé, Belladonna. She would have those days where she'd snarl at every comment, threaten to reveal his dalliances and disobedience to Magneto…on numerous occasions, Gambit and she had been involved in fully-fledged arguments, occasionally resulting in grappling on the floor or beating each other up. A temporary fit of rage on the part of either party, but nothing more. Why did Gambit react this way…as if he wanted to make sure she was hurt in the worst way possible…why did he feel betrayed. Gambit was one to dwell on things, so he simply dismissed it from his mind.

"Johnny-boy doesn't want to come back," Betsy almost spat, in conclusion- Piotre and Remy confirmed this with nods.

Magneto had no choice, but to believe them. If only he had a telepath…a _trustworthy _telepath. Then the loyal ones would be separated from the traitorous mutants…not that they'd be able to rebel, if they wanted to. Not once his plans were finished. He was tired, he knew that- he'd leave the matter alone, for now. For all he knew, Mystique had ensnared the Brotherhood and Pyro had been the spy…there was no reason to suspect these Acolytes, who would have had the chance to turn to the X-Men, but had come back.

"Very well," he addressed them curtly. "Rest up for a couple of days…train and prepare yourself for what's coming. You will be moving out to recruit for me a certain mutant- his powers are potentially, _very _destructive- but he must be brought here, whether willing or not."

The Acolytes nodded soundlessly, though each nursed his or her own doubts. Piotre didn't like the sound of this and neither did Gambit. Betsy only wondered whether Magneto suspected her.

(0o)

"Alex Summers…" Piotre said carefully, reading the file, before handing it to Remy.

"Look at dis, petite- fire from the hands…Remy thinks he likes the guy," Remy remarked, sliding the file over the table to Betsy, where she sat sipping on her mandatory cup of tea.

Remy wrinkled his nose. Earl Grey with lemon…he didn't know how she choked it down.

"Cute kid…shame he's blonde and fifteen…Ha!"

Betsy's exclamation aroused the others' attention.

"Summers!"

She received a blank stare and she threw her hands up in mock exasperation.

"Cyclops…leader of the most-noble X-Men…red glasses…killer cheekbones?"

"Oui," Remy said in confusion. "Care t'share your thoughts, heh?"

"Idiots…Cyclops's name is Scott Summers," she finished with a flourish, and Remy snagged the file off her again.

"Are they related?" Piotre said, looking at the file oddly.

"Says here dat dey'd be brothers, homme."

"Oh…I think I know why Magsy wants the kid…but that'd be low. Real low."

"Hostage?" Remy said, furrowing his brow as he examined the blonde haired kid in the picture. "That _is _low."

"I wouldn't put it past him though…"

"_Of course he'd do it…he's- he's…" Piotre, who had given an angry cry, slammed his own coffee mug to the table, shattering it, before storming off, rattling a string of Russian words._

_Psylocke stared after him in shock…Betsy knew a little Russia . She didn't understand what he said…but the name, 'Katya', was repeated as well as a variety of other pretty curses._

_Betsy swallowed…she had immediately probed his mind after his outburst. Anger. Hatred. A burning lust for revenge. Regret. Sadness. A lot of sadness. And the image of a pretty little girl, being pushed on a swing, by an older brother, twice her age and height. Piotre pushed his little sister, Katya, on the swing. Katya was a hostage and Piotre's servitude to Magneto was her price._

_Betsy felt sick and gagged dryly, feeling her stomach churn. Tears were spilling down her cheeks unabated…Piotre's feelings had been so strong. This was why the gentle-giant was there…the quiet-spoken man in metal…his little sister? _A small cup of something was shoved in her hand and she drank it down, before coming up choking and spluttering…

Piotre and Remy were staring at her…her control had lapsed over her powers and she saw more than she wanted to, when Piotre's emotions began to escape him.

"Whisky?" she choked out, looking incredulously at Remy through teary eyes. "I'm not old enough yet."

"Like it's ever stopped you…what's wrong, petite?"

"Are you okay?" Piotre echoed his sentiments.

Betsy felt a cry building in her chest and she stood up, running for the relative sanctuary of a bathroom. She ran there and threw up…the concern in his voice had been unbearable. She sobbed in the bathroom for another hour, feelings overwhelming her. She had betrayed them…twisted their thoughts to protect herself. She had done things she shouldn't have and still remained by Magneto's side…Piotre, who shouldn't be there, was.

An hour later, Betsy emerged from the bathroom, upright and composed. Her eyes were hard and sharp as flint, if not a little red. Her resolve was strong and she wanted more than ever to help the world defeat Magneto, who was, as everyone proclaimed, just another dictator, on his way to power, a head of his own empire- Caesar.

And Betsy would play Brutus, before the curtains fell.

Catching sight of Piotre, sitting thoughtfully on a ridiculously spindly, tall stool, she lay a comforting hand on his arm.

'We will find her. You must take Katya and go to the X-Men.'

A flood of fear of discovery flooded through Piotre - practised as he was at concealing his emotions, he remained expressionless. Betsy sent a wave of reassurance. Gambit would help. Piotre would be freed from these chains. Piotre was full of wordless gratitude and Betsy got the message.

(o0)

Gambit was as outraged as Betsy had been, when he was told. He immediately volunteered the information on accessing Magneto's personal databases and, when Betsy revealed her intimate knowledge of the structure of the base, they began to formulate a plan. Gambit would actually access the computer and Betsy would be on standby. Piotre, strong, great guy that he was, possessed neither the speed nor the subtlety for such a task. In other words, he'd sit upstairs and twiddle his thumbs and keep an eye on the oversized cat.

However, the main problem was that the majority of the restricted access were virtually inaccessible. Magneto's powers would be necessary and since they didn't have a spare Master of Magnetism around…Remy thought of something very stupid to do. Something so stupid, that this would be his second time doing it.

"C'mon, petite- we need her…" Remy whined persistently. "Unless you gonna be the one to sneak up on Magsy in the shower, but I reckon he'd be wearing his helmet even den."

"Rems, honey," Betsy said paternally. "Why don't we issue an invitation for an open house party to turn up here…we can have the X-Men, Mystique's bunch- hell, why don't we just send a memo to the military as well?"

"Then we kidnap the Shadowcat. We sink through the floor."

"Why don't we just ask whether she will come?" Piotre added, somewhat uncomfortable with the topic for discussion.

Betsy grinned at him.

"Oh, I'm sure she'd come…if you asked her. Trust me, I've actually exchanged more than a couple of words with the girl. She'd bring along Nightcrawler and Rogue. Alright for you and Remy, but Nightcrawler and I would be third wheels."

"You make it sound like a date, chere!" Remy said laughing loudly.

"Fine- you throw in an idea, genius."

He scratched his head in a parody of thinking hard.

"S'pose we could complain to de management about crappy worker's standards…go to de union…"

Betsy chucked a cushion at his head, which he ducked easily.

"Any ideas, Petey?" Betsy said casually.

"I think that if I ask Kitty to come and to keep the secret, she would," he said consistently. "If I told her the reason."

Betsy sighed at this. 'This is where a spare Mystique would come in handy,' she thought.

She sat up straight.

"Cerebro!" she announced, blessing her slow wit. "We can use Cerebro to find Katya!"

"Y'serious….we just waltz up to de X-Men and ask'em if we can jus' borrow dere big toy for a while?"

"Yes! C'mon…for the good guy, he's actually decent. He'll do it…especially if Piotre changes sides."

Piotre shook his head.

"I don't know where Katya is, or who is with her. She is not with our parents. I won't put her at risk by abandoning my post, before I know where she is. But, yes, Xavier would help, if we could somehow get in contact with him."

'I swear that's the longest I've ever heard him speak,' Betsy thought to herself. Her mind flicked through all of her options. It was imperative that they rescue the girl and get Piotre out of there, but the timing would have to be impeccable.

"Someone's going to have to go to the X-Men alone," Betsy said quietly, voicing everyone's thought.

Piotre couldn't go. If he was gone too long from the base, Magneto would become suspicious. Gambit had been in enough trouble for taking an impromptu 'time-off' to take the Rogue to the Big Easy. Sabretooth…not even an option…Betsy hoped to God that Sabretooth never was alone with any little girls. But Betsy, well…she was hardly welcome at that Institute. Anyone there was highly-likely to stab, fry, melt, phase or port her into a wall or drain her dry…

"Or not…" she finished, another stroke of brilliance hitting her.

"What?" Remy asked in surprise- the girl's mind was like watching a tennis game, jumping from one good shot to a better one, but never staying still.

"Someone has to get drained by Rogue! If she taps into what's on one of out mind's, then she'll know our problem!"

"Touche, chere- dat's a good idea..." Gambit assented.

"How?" Piotre said bluntly, pessimism oozing off him.

"Don't do that," Betsy ordered in annoyance. "Gambit can go play Romeo next time that he is sent with a message to the Brotherhood."

"Y'think that'll work, Tincan?" Remy asked Piotre.

"I don't know. But I hope to God it does."


End file.
